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    January 08, 2012

Malaysian Court Acquits Anwar of Sodomy

   VOA News
   Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim
   Photo: AP/Lai Seng Sin
   Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, right, salutes beside his
   wife Wan Azizah as he prepares to leave his residence to the High Court
   for his sodomy trial verdict in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, Jan. 9,
   2012.

   Malaysia's high court has acquitted opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of
   charges of sodomy.
   The judge ruled Monday that the DNA used by prosecutors as evidence was
   unreliable. The judge also said there was not enough corroborating
   evidence proving that Anwar had sex with a former male aide.
   Homosexuality is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia. If he had been
   convicted, Anwar could have faced 20 years in prison.
   Anwar is a former deputy prime minister who was forced to resign in
   1998 after his conviction on an earlier sodomy charge. The Supreme
   Court later threw out that verdict.
   Anwar has denied all the sodomy charges, saying his chief political
   rival, Prime Minister Najib Razak, concocted them. The prime minister
   denies the allegation.
   Anwar is considered to be a leading opposition candidate in this year's
   general elections.

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