Anwar gets four weeks to prepare his defense<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): A Malaysian High Court gave lawyers
\nof ousted deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim on Monday four weeks to
\nprepare their defense against four of 10 corruption and sodomy
\ncharges against him.<\/p>\n
The High Court refused bail and set Nov. 2 to 14 to hear four
\nof the five corruption charges faced by the former deputy prime
\nminister and finance minister, who continues to receive
\ninternational support.<\/p>\n
Anwar, who alleged police brutality as he appeared in court
\nlast week with a black eye and a bruised arm, wore a beige neck
\nbrace following his medical examination at a local hospital over
\nthe weekend.<\/p>\n
His wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said that the neck injury was
\nan old wound that was recently aggravated.<\/p>\n
Anwar looked serious most of the time but at one point accused
\nthe authorities of treating him \"like a dog\" when police refused
\nto let him embrace his mother.<\/p>\n
\"My treatment is like a dog, worse than a criminal,\" he said
\nangrily, before being escorted out of the courtroom during a
\nbrief adjournment.<\/p>\n
But at the end of the afternoon session, police appeared more
\nlenient and allowed the 51-year-old Anwar to bid farewell and
\nshake hands with family members before ushering him out.<\/p>\n
Anwar alleged last week that he was handcuffed, blindfolded
\nand badly beaten on the night of his arrest. He has now appeared
\nin court three times since his arrest on Sept. 20 and has denied
\nall five corruption charges and five for sodomy.<\/p>\n
Comments<\/p>\n
Following an appeal by his lawyers Monday, Justice Augustine
\nPaul ordered a halt to public comments on the charges faced by
\nAnwar.<\/p>\n
Anwar's lawyers charged that \"people in high offices\" were
\ncommenting on the case as if he were guilty of the charges.<\/p>\n
\"I do not think it is appropriate for anybody to comment on
\nthe guilt or innocence of (Anwar) directly or indirectly,\"
\nJustice Paul said. \"In order to ensure a fair trial, with effect
\nfrom today, such statements should be ceased to be made.\"<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and several ministers have
\nbeen making statements on Anwar's case since his ouster on Sept.
\n2. Mahathir has been particularly outspoken over his former
\nprotege.<\/p>\n
It was not immediately clear when hearing dates for the fifth
\ncorruption charge and the five sodomy charges would be set.
\nMaximum penalties are 14 years for the corruption charges and 20
\nyears for the sodomy charges.<\/p>\n
In setting the hearing dates, Justice Paul ruled that they
\nwould resume on Nov. 23 if they were not completed during the
\ninitial 12-day period.<\/p>\n
The trial dates were suggested by the prosecutor. The break in
\nthe proceedings coincides with the annual summit in Kuala Lumpur
\nof the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum from Nov.
\n14 to 18.<\/p>\n
Justice Paul also ruled that police should allow lawyers'
\naccess to Anwar, who has been held under the draconian Internal
\nSecurity Act which provides for detention without trial.<\/p>\n
President Joseph Estrada said on Monday that former Anwar's
\nhuman and legal rights should be respected by Malaysian
\nauthorities.<\/p>\n
Estrada said last Friday he was considering not attending a
\nAPEC in Malaysia in November to protest the arrest of Anwar, whom
\nhe described as a personal friend. But Estrada said later he
\nwould attend the summit and had only made the earlier remarks out
\nof sympathy toward Anwar.<\/p>\n
Two lawmakers filed resolutions in the Philippine Senate and
\nthe House of Representatives on Monday, supporting Estrada's
\nconcern over Anwar's arrest.<\/p>\n
The European Union said on Monday it was deeply concerned
\nabout reports that Anwar Ibrahim had been beaten by police.<\/p>\n
\"The EU expresses its deep concern about reports of physical
\nmistreatment of former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister
\nAnwar Ibrahim,\" Austria, current EU president, said in a
\nstatement issued on behalf of the 15-nation bloc.<\/p>",
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