Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) 122nd Assembly Adopted Resolutions On Anwar Ibrahim’s Second Sodomy Case

At the Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU) assembly in Bangkok,Thailand on 1st April 2010, the committee of IPU on the human rights of Parliamentarians reported their unanimous decision to recommend to the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union resolutions on the case o MAL/15-Anwar Ibrahim. The assembly was attended by members of Parliaments from 145 countries throughout the world.

The chairman of the Committee of IPU On the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, Senator Aquilino Q Pimentel, Jr of Philiphines, then presented the following resolutions to be adopted by the council.

Noting that Anwar Ibrahim’s renewed sodomy trial has been widely critized as a bid to wreck Anwar Ibrahim’s political career,

1. Is deeply concerned at the new sodomy charges and proceedings brought against Anwar Ibrahim, which seem to be fraught with flaws similar to those of the first sodomy trial several years ago of which he was acquitted in last instance;

2. Believes that in the light of the two medical reports concluding that there were no physical signs of penetration, charges should not have been pressed in the first place and should now be dismissed;

3. Is moreover alarmed that members of the prosecution team who were implicated in the first sodomy trial, the main prosecutor at the time and now Attorney General, having even been accused of having fabricated evidence against Anwar Ibrahim, are again involved in the present proceedings and that Anwar’s defence team has been prevented from exercising its right to access prosecution evidence and been hindered to prepare the defence;

4. Firmly recalls that equality of arms between the prosecution that the defence is an essential element of a fair trial and that, failing action to ensure that the defence can exercise its rights, any judgments issued by the court will be fundamentally flawed;

5. Requests the Secretary General to make the necessary arrangements to ensure the presence of a trial observer at the coming hearings;

6. Requests the Secretary General to inform the Malaysian Parliamentary authorities accordingly;

7. Requests the Committee to continue examining this case and report to its next session, to be held on the occasion of the 123rd IPU Assembly (October 2010).

The resolutions were adopted by all the delegations of Assembly with Malaysia reservation recorded.

Joint press statement by Pakatan Rakyat MPs, attending the 122nd IPU Assembly:

YB Hee Loy Sian, PKR MP of Petaling Jaya Selatan,
YB Sim Tong Him, DAP MP of Kota Melaka
YB Senator Mumtaz bt Md.Nawi , PAS .

2nd April 2010,
Bangkok, Thailand