Gore:
Anwar trial a 'mockery'
Anwar
could be in jail until 2014
US Vice
President Al Gore has denounced the sodomy trial of former Malaysian deputy
prime minister Anwar Ibrahim as a "mockery".
His comments follow a flood of international
criticism at Anwar's conviction at the end of a 14-month legal battle.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has
defended the trial, saying his former protégé had had plenty of time to defend
himself in a fair court.
The show trial ... mocked international standards of justice
|
Al Gore |
Anwar was sentenced to nine years in jail for
sodomy - to be added to a previous prison term imposed for a corruption
conviction.
Sacked as finance minister and deputy prime
minister in September 1998, Anwar had testified that the prime minister framed in
a sex scandal to drive him out of office and wipe out a potential leadership
challenger.
'Deeply disturbed'
Mr Gore, who is running for US president,
said the verdicts were politically motivated to keep Anwar from power.
Al Gore has criticised the Anwar trial before |
"I am deeply disturbed by the verdicts
handed down in Malaysia in the case of Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and
his adopted brother," he said in a statement from Washington.
"The show trial the two men were forced
to endure mocked international standards of justice,"
The statement listed details of the trial,
and alleged police had coached opposition witnesses and efforts to intimidate
Anwar's lawyers.
"In the interest of justice and
fairness, I hope the appeals process will overturn these verdicts," said
Mr Gore.
'Normal trial'
His comments were in line with the official
US reaction to the verdict issued by the State Department on Tuesday.
Mahathir: Conspiracy "impossible" on such a scale |
"The United States is very distressed by
the convictions of the former deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, and his
adopted brother on sodomy charges," said departmental spokesman Richard
Boucher.
But in comments on the ruling UMNO party's
website, Mahathir said the court had made its decision.
"It is a normal trial, there is no
conspiracy. It is impossible in Malaysia to have a conspiracy on such an extent
involving literally hundreds of people," the premier said.
This is not the first time Mr Gore has
clashed with the Malaysian Prime Minister. There was a row in 1998 when Mr Gore
said he was troubled by allegations that Anwar had been beaten up.
Four months later Mahathir retaliated with
stinging remarks at a rally.
"We should fry him. Al Gore does not
love Malaysia nor its people. Al Gore and his government only wants to
manipulate and control our country," the prime minister said.
Anwar and Sukma Darmawan were convicted of
sodomising Azizan Abu Bakar, a former Anwar family chauffeur, between January
and March 1993.