Anwar treated like any other convicted prisoner - Wisma Putra

The Foreign Ministry has informed the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is being treated just as any other convicted prisoner.

Wisma Putra said its response was transmitted to the United Nations in Geneva through the Permanent Mission of Malaysia in which it enlighted the UNWGAD on the traatment of Anwar and refuted the allegation of politically motivated prosecution.

It told the group that "the treatment accorded to Anwar from the time he was committed to prison on Feb 10 2015 is in accordance with the Prison Act 1995 and the Prison Regulations 2000."

"Anwar has been provided with all medical facilities and treatment as recommended by the panel of consultants appointed to treat him," the ministry said in a statement here.

On Sept 17, UNWGAD condemned the arbitrary detention of the 68-year-old Anwar as illegal and declared that he should be freed.

The ministry pointed out that the former opposition leader had been provided with additional facilities not ordinarily afforded to other prisoners, including a hospital bed, a chair and table, hot and cold shower, a wall fan and a sitdown toilet.

"Anwar also received special dietary and food supplements. Anwar has been given the privilege to occupy a specially renovated cell in the Prison's hospital complex in contrast to other prisoners who are placed in sharing cells.

"He was definitely not placed in solitary confinement. Anwar also continues to enjoy all his rights such as visitation rights and access to his lawyers," the ministry said.

The Government clarified to the WGAD that based on the assessment of the panel of consultants appointed to treat him, there was no evidence that Anwar was suffering from any acute or life threatening medical condition.

The ministry said the chronic back pain and spinal injury that Anwar suffers is not life threatening, does not warrant treatment overseas, and can undoubtedly be treated by local medical experts.

The ministry noted that the Prison Act 1995 makes specific provisions concerning the management of any serious illness of a prisoner. It said that Anwar, like any other prisoner in Malaysia, cannot be removed or transferred to any place within or outside Malaysia other than a government hospital in Malaysia for the purpose of medical treatment.

On allegations that the judiciary had demonstrated a lack of independence and impartiality during Anwar's trial, Wisma Putra told the WGAD that Anwar was always guaranteed the right to fair trial and accorded every opportunity to exercise his constitutional rights before the courts of law throughout the proceedings from the Sessions Court until the Federal Court.

The ministry said that any allegation that Anwar was specifically targeted by the Malaysian authorities is baseless and unfounded as the prosecution case against Anwar was solely based on a police report lodged by the victim, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, available statements and DNA evidence.

"The issue of political conspiracy had been scrutinised extensively by the Federal Court, which held that the defence of political conspiracy remained a mere denial and did not amount to a credible defence.

"Based on the facts and legal basis as expounded in detail to the WGAD, it is unequivocally clear the WGAD s Opinion that the current sodomy charges against Anwar were politically motivated is unfounded," it said.

The ministry said that based on the indisputable facts and legal basis as explained in detail in the reply to the WGAD, Anwar is not a political prisoner.

"After a fair and lengthy trial of six and a half years, he was convicted for the offence. Anwar is currently serving his sentence at prison, not in solitary confinement, and is being provided with appropriate facilities and medical treatment. As such, the opinion by the WGAD, calling for the immediate release of Anwar, is without basis," the ministry said.

Last Feb 10, the Federal Court upheld the five year jail sentence on Anwar for sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who was 23 at the time of the offence in 2008.