U.S., rights groups piqued by Anwar verdict

WASHINGTON, AUG. 9. The U.S. has expressed outrage over the conviction of Malaysia's former Deputy Premier, Mr. Anwar Ibrahim, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for sodomy as the international condemnation on the verdict mounted.

``The U.S. is very distressed by the August 8 convictions of the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, and his adopted brother on sodomy charges. We are also outraged by the imposition of a nine-year sentence to be added consecutively to the six-year sentence that Anwar is currently serving on his previous corruption conviction,'' said a spokesman.

At the U.N. headquarters in New York, a spokesman yesterday said the controversial verdict and sentence were an internal Malaysian matter. But he added, ``We are aware of the concerns and reservations expressed at different quarters.'' Several international and local human rights groups immediately condemned the verdict as too severe and the Prime Minister, Mr. Mahathir Mohamad's critics accused him of abusing the judiciary to consolidate his power.

In London, the Amnesty International has condemned the sentence saying his prosecution was politically motivated.

- PTI

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