Sodomy conviction upheld for Malaysia political leader

Calum MacLeod | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim found guilty in sodomy trial Malaysia's highest court finds opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim guilty of sodomy, upholding a lower court ruling. Rough Cut (No reporter narration.) Video provided by Reuters

BEIJING — Malaysia's top court on Tuesday upheld a conviction for sodomy in a controversial case involving opposition leader and onetime Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar, 67, whose conviction some observers believe is politically motivated to keep him from power, started serving a five-year sentence for having sex with a former political aide in 2008. Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, and punishable by up to 20 years in jail. Few prosecutions are brought.

Anwar has always denied the charge and was acquitted in 2012, but an appeals court overturned the verdict last March. His final appeal failed Tuesday after Chief Justice Arifin Zakaria said there was "overwhelming evidence" that the male aide had been sodomized.

From the dock, Anwar accused the panel of judges of taking part in a "political conspiracy" by Malaysia's ruling regime. "In bowing to the dictates of your political masters, you have become partners to the crime," and "chosen to be on the dark side," he said, Agence France-Presse reported. "I will not be silenced! I will never surrender!" he shouted.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's office quickly defended the verdict.

"Malaysia has an independent judiciary, and there have been many rulings against senior government figures," it said in a statement. "Exhaustive and comprehensive due process" is now complete, and "we call on all parties involved to respect the legal process and the judgment."

Flanked by his wife, children and grandchildren, Anwar arrived smiling and laughing at the court in Putrajaya, Malaysia's federal administrative center close to the capital Kuala Lumpur. After the verdict, he hugged his weeping wife, Wan Azizah, consoled other relatives and told reporters "see you in some years." Hundreds of his supporters protested outside.

A popular but divisive politician, Anwar united fractious opposition groups to challenge the ruling UMNO party's six-decade-long domination of national politics. In 2013, he won the popular vote in national elections, but not a majority of seats in parliament. The conviction Tuesday disqualifies him from office and prevents him from standing in the next national elections, due by 2018.

Anwar was previously jailed for six years on a separate sodomy conviction that was overturned in 2004. Then-U.S. vice president Al Gore was among many world leaders who denounced that 1998 verdict as politically motivated. Washington has informed Kuala Lumpur about its concerns over the rule of law and the independence of the courts in relation to Anwar's trial.

There was more condemnation for Tuesday's verdict.

"Allowing this travesty of justice to stand will further undermine respect for rights and democracy in Malaysia," said Phil Robertson, Asia director for Human Rights Watch.

Apart from the two Malaysia Airlines tragedies in 2014, the long-running prosecution of Anwar Ibrahim remains one of few issues that place Malaysia under the global media spotlight.

Last year, soon after the appeal court verdict that led to Tuesday's conviction, Anwar told USA TODAY the decision was "disgusting, a clear travesty of justice."

Anwar insisted at the time he did not fear being jailed again, and hoped public anger could help force change in Malaysia.