UN panel calls for Anwar's release, says charges 'politically motivated'

The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which comes under the UN Human Rights Council, has concluded that Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's detention was arbitrary, and that his sodomy charges were political motivated to discredit him.
This comes after the working group considered persuasive evidence which was not contested by the government despite given over two months to do so.
Among the basis of the working group findings, it concluded that Mr Anwar was denied access to a fair trial, and that there was no due process in court - the judge was biased, including chief prosecutor, as well as the haste of the appeal hearing and sentencing.
The working group has requested the Malaysian government to immediately release Mr Anwar and reinstate all his political rights.

Mr Anwar, 68,  was found guilty of sodomising his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan in early 2015. It is his second conviction since 2000; his first conviction was overturned in 2004 after six years in jail. 
Mr Anwar was sentenced to five years' imprisonment this time, and was subsequently disqualified as a Member of Parliament in March.