US leads chorus of Anwar anger

Police broke up a demonstration outside the court

International outrage has been expressed over the jailing of the former Malaysian deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim.

He was given a nine-year jail term for sodomy, which he had denied during a 14-month legal battle.

The United States is very distressed by the conviction of Anwar Ibrahim...we are also outraged by the imposition of a nine-year sentence

US State Department statement

Anwar's jail term will be added to a six-year sentence he was given in 1999 for abusing his powers while in government. Most observers see his political career as finished.

Human rights groups joined the US, Australia and other nations in condemning the verdict and jail term.

US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the United States was outraged by the length of the sentence, and he questioned the fairness of the trial.

Australia's foreign minister, Alexander Downer, said he was saddened by the conviction of a man many Australians held in high regard.

And New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff said there was "deep concern about the adequacy and fairness of the processes followed in reaching this verdict."

I feel sorry for Anwar but I feel even sorrier for the country. I feel sad for the system of justice for this country, what it has come to

Chandra Muzaffar, National Justice Party

In the Philippines, President Estrada - a friend of Anwar - was said to consider the trial an internal matter for Malaysia.

But a government official privately called into question whether Anwar's human rights had been violated.

The United Nations also described the trial as an internal matter, but said it expected Malaysia to address concerns which had been expressed over the trial.

Riot police moved in on demonstrators

Human rights campaigners reacted with dismay. Human Rights Watch described the verdict as "another blow to justice in Malaysia."

Amnesty International called Anwar a prisoner of conscience, and said he had been put on trial because of the challenge he posed to government leaders.

Within Malaysia, campaigners and opposition leaders also expressed shock and anger at the ruling.

Lim Kit Siang, national chairman of the opposition Democratic Action Party, said: "Today is a sad day, a black day for democracy and justice in Malaysia."

Anwar's wife says the fight will go on

Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, said her husband would appeal against the sentence, and that the struggle for justice would continue.

Anwar's adopted brother was convicted of the same offence, which is alleged to have involved their family driver.

When Anwar was convicted of the earlier charge, thousands of people clashed with riot police in Malaysia's worst scenes of civil unrest for 30 years.

Some demonstrators - including opposition politicians - were arrested in a protest outside the court on Tuesday, but there were no reports of other disturbances.