By

Iqbal

Ragataf

KUALA LUMPUR (Islam Online) - The London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) joined the international fury over the treatment meted out on Malaysia's former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. The IHRC responded to efforts by the Free Anwar movement that mounted an international campaign for the liberation of the jailed Malay leader.

Reformasi leaders in Kuala Lumpur said they were pleased with the news that the IHRC issued a formal statement to mark the second anniversary of Anwar's imprisonment. The IHRC called on Malaysian authorities to adhere to international human rights standards.

"IHRC is very concerned regarding his imprisonment from 1998. There is a consensus both within Malaysia and the international community that this shows the trial and the convictions were based on politics rather than justice," said a statement by IHRC chairman Massoud Shadjareh.

The increased attention the IHRC is receiving outside the U.K. brings to the forefront human rights abuses within the Muslim world.

The organization has also expressed concern about police brutalities committed upon thousands of peaceful demonstrators during the two years since Anwar was sacked, arrested and tortured under police custody.

"In addition to the beatings, police made random arrests, which included innocent passers-by, and put them in crowded jail cells in and around the capital, Kuala Lumpur. Police brutality was evident when the accused were all brought to court," it added.

The Commission, expressing concern over the Malaysian judiciary, also noted the case of former Chief Justice Tun Salleh Abbas. It said since he was sacked from his post in the late 1980s for criticizing Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir, adding, "little has changed over the decade."

In the 1990s, the Malaysian government has liberally utilized the infamous and much criticized Internal Security Act (ISA) to arrest and muzzle political and Islamic opponents. The opposition in Malaysia has called for the revocation of the ISA. Reformasi Month

Malaysia's opposition parties are currently holding a Reformasi Month during which dinners and rallies are scheduled.

The party of Anwar Ibrahim, Keadilan Nasional (National Justice Party - NJP) was earlier refused access to the newly built Bukit Jalil Statium.

The NJP desired to commemorate the September 28, 1998, arrest of Anwar Ibrahim by armed and mask-wearing commando officers in Kuala Lumpur. After his arrest, Anwar was sent to an undisclosed location where ex-police chief Rahim Noor inflicted the now famous black eye.

The opposition believes the government does not desire to be overwhelmed by the crowd of supporters expected to come to the stadium for the rally supporting Anwar.

"They want to suppress the opposition from organizing this rally. They are scared. They cannot bring a crowd in any of their open rallies, so they do not want us to have a huge crowd," a member of the NJP told Islam Online.

A dinner organized by Anwar Ibrahim's wife, Wan Azizah, in a restaurant next to the Magistrate where Anwar was tried drew a crowd of 1500 people where there were seats for only the 1000 invited.

Wan Azizah is currently a Member of Parliament elected in the constituency of her jailed husband, defeating the government candidate by more than 10,000 votes.