Malaysian police free Anwar’s daughter on bail

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – The eldest daughter of Malaysia’s jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was freed on police bail Tuesday, March 17, after being held overnight for alleged sedition, as supporters and the United States condemned her detention.

Nurul Izzah, 34, a member of parliament and popular public figure, confirmed her release by phone to Agence France-Presse.

Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation Department chief Zainuddin Ahmad said Nurul was freed on bail at 12:30 pm local time (0430 GMT) after being held overnight in a police detention center, where some 500 of her supporters held a candlelight vigil.

“I was kept alone in the lockup last night. Only this morning they questioned me for 20 minutes regarding the speech I made in parliament. I am sure they will charge me for sedition,” she told Agence France-Presse.

Nurul was arrested for sedition after she last week read out in parliament portions of a statement by Anwar, now in prison, in which he questioned the independence of Malaysia’s judiciary.

The United States had said Monday that it was “deeply concerned” by the detention of Nurul.

Nurul, a mother of two children, became the latest nabbed in a sedition crackdown that has seen dozens investigated, charged or convicted over the past year, including several top opposition politicians.

Anwar was convicted on February 10 of sodomizing a former male aide in 2008 and sentenced to five years in jail.

Anwar, who denies the charge, calls it a “political conspiracy” by the coalition in power since 1957, designed to thwart steady opposition gains in recent elections.

Prime Minister Najib Razak promised in 2012 to scrap the British colonial-era Sedition Act amid growing pressure for reform.

But after a 2013 election setback, government critics have increasingly been targeted by the law. In November Najib said the law would be retained and even strengthened. – Rappler.com