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