Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 17:10:53 +0800
www.freeanwar.com
FAC News
2 November 2000 - 10.00
<<...>>
US Congress tables a Resolution on Anwar Ibrahim
On 27th October 2000, the 106th United States Congress tabled a Sense of the
House of Representative Resolution with respect to Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
(Link to the document).
The Resolution (H. RES. 658), which was referred to the Committee on
International Relations, was supported by Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Ms.
Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Royce, Mr. Abercrombie, and
Mr. Wexler.
The Resolution stated as follows:
Whereas on September 2, 1998, Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed
dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim;
Whereas, reportedly as a result of political disagreements, Dato Seri Anwar
was arrested on September 20, 1998;
Whereas when Dato Seri Anwar appeared at his arra!
ignment, he told the judge
of the severe mistreatment he sustained on his first night of detention;
Whereas Dr. Mahathir suggested that Dato Seri Anwar inflicted the injuries
on himself in order to gain public sympathy;
Whereas on September 29, 1998, Dato Seri Anwar was formally charged with
nine counts of corruption and sexual misconduct, including four sodomy
counts, to which another count was later added;
Whereas the vague nature of the charges, as well as the fact that several of
the Government's witnesses recanted, cast serious doubt on the validity of
the charges, which appear to have been fabricated to discredit Dato Seri
Anwar;
Whereas on April 19, 1999, Dato Seri Anwar was convicted on four counts of
corruption and sentenced to six years of imprisonment;
Whereas on August 8, 2000, Dato Seri Anwar was convicted of sodomy and
sentenced to an additional nine years in prison;
Whereas both trials were marred by serious irr!
egularities, including:
(1) the refusal of the trial judge to allow representatives of news media to
be present when testimony favorable to the defense was being given,
(2) the imposition by the judge of a national ``gag order'' prohibiting any
Malaysian citizen from discussing the guilt or innocence of Dato Seri Anwar,
(3) the changing by the prosecution of the dates on which the alleged
incidents of sodomy were said to have occurred, after learning that the
building where the incidents allegedly happened had not yet been built and
again after learning that Dato Seri Anwar was not in the country on the
revised date, and
(4) the admission by the trial judge of a ``voluntary'' confession from a
witness who had reportedly suffered severe physical and psychological abuse
at the hands of the police before giving his confession;
Whereas the Governments of Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and
other nations, as well as the !
European Union, have condemned the Malaysian
Government's actions in this case;
Whereas international organizations, including Amnesty International and
Human Rights Watch consider Dato Seri Anwar to be a prisoner of conscience;
Whereas the United States Department of State Human Rights Report of 2000
highlights the irregularities surrounding Dato Seri Anwar's trial and the
continued deterioration of the judiciary in Malaysia;
Whereas the imprisonment of Dato Seri Anwar represents a breakdown in
democracy and the rule of law in Malaysia; and
Whereas the Government's actions in the case of Dato Seri Anwar represent a
breakdown in democracy and the rule of law in Malaysia, and thus damage the
international reputation of the Malaysian Government, and have the potential
to harm relations between the Government of the United States and the
Government of Malaysia: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Repr!
esentatives that:
(1) the Government of Malaysia should provide Dato Seri Anwar with due
process of law either by offering him a new trial under fair and transparent
procedures or by dismissing all charges against him; and
(2) all Malaysians should be allowed to exercise their fundamental right to
peaceful expression of political opinion, without fear of arrest or
intimidation, and should be afforded due process of law in all cases.
(Link to the United States Congress Website).
Raja Petra Kamarudin
COUNTERBALANCE.ANYWHERE.ANYTIME.ANYBODY.ANYONE.COM
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