Sedition charge dropped against lawyer

Tue, 15 Jan 2002, 00:00 WIB | Source: AP

MALAYSIA: Top law officer on Monday withdrew a two-year-old
sedition charge against a lawyer who defended jailed politician
Anwar Ibrahim in his corruption and sodomy trials.

Karpal Singh's case was believed to be the first time in a
British Commonwealth country that a lawyer was prosecuted for
statements made during a trial. He faced up to three years in
prison and a fine of 5,000 ringgit (US$1,316) if convicted.

He was charged with sedition in January 2000 for alleging
during Anwar's trial for sodomy that "people in high places" had
tried to poison his client in prison with arsenic.

High Court Judge Augustine Paul acquitted Karpal of the charge
on Monday after Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail informed the
court that he was withdrawing the charge, witnesses at Monday's
hearing said. --AP

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