Thousands of Malaysians have signed a petition urging UN chief Kofi Annan to head an international campaign for the release of jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, supporters said Monday.
Raja Petra Kamarudin, director of the FreeAnwar Campaign, told AFP that about 21,000 people petitioned the United Nations secretary-general "to lead the world community in demanding the immediate and unconditional release" of Anwar.
The petition was handed in to the local UN office Monday, he said. It was launched on October 14 by the women's wing of the National Justice Party led by Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
"Many appeals have been made to the authorities by various sectors of Malaysian society but they have fallen on deaf ears. We are now inviting the world community to add its voice to ours," the petition said.
It said Anwar's sacking as deputy premier and his subsequent arrest, assault and imprisonment were tantamount to a travesty of justice.
"He has been subjected to farcical trials which have outraged the international judicial and legal fraternity," it said, describing Anwar as a victim of malicious, vicious political persecution.
"He posed a challenge to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamads authoritarian might and the corruption and cronyism that taint his regime.
"This is why he had to be removed from position and power. This is why he languishes in prison today. This is why the international community has to respond to the injustice perpetrated against the man," the petition said.
The Malaysian government denies any political motives against Anwar and says he received fair trials.
"At this juncture, with Anwar once again seriously ill in hospital, there is an added urgency to our appeal," the petition said.
Anwar was taken from prison to a government hospital on November 25 with acute back pain which he believes is partly due to an assault in 1998 by the then-police chief, Rahim Noor.
The officer has been jailed for two months for the assault but is free pending appeal.
Mahathir sacked Anwar on September 2, 1998. He was arrested 18 days later following mass anti-government rallies.
In April 1999 Anwar was jailed for six years for abuse of power and in August last year was imprisoned for nine years for sodomy, with the sentences to run consecutively -- KUALA LUMPUR (AFP)
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