Prisons Dept bans lawyer Latheefa from meeting Anwar

The Prisons Department has barred lawyer Latheefa Koya from meeting her client, the de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

“Under Section 26 of the Prisons Act 1995 states that while still serving sentence, despite being out of prison, a prisoner is still bound to regulations as implemented within prison walls.

“Rule 101 (2) of the Prisons Regulations 2000 states that a meeting between a lawyer and a prisoner should only pertain to ongoing case trials that involve the convict only,” said Selangor Prisons Department director Darussalam Budin in a statement today.

He pointed to a statement purportedly from Anwar on the Election Commission and the anti-fake news, which were published by the press on March 31 and April 1.

Anwar is currently undergoing treatment at the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital, and while his family has been given visitation priority, lawyers have also been allowed to visit him from time to time on matters related to his case trials, Darussalam said.

The department found that the published statement purportedly from Anwar was in violation of Rule 101(2), he said, and as such, Latheefa has now been banned from meeting with Anwar (photo).

However, Darussalam stressed, other lawyers would not be affected by this decision and will still be allowed to meet with Anwar on matters related to his case trials.

“In this matter, the Prisons Department is not restricting meetings between lawyers and prisoners so that cases involving the prisoners can be handled smoothly.

“The department is even working to ensure that every prisoner who needs the services of a lawyer is afforded the opportunity to access it,” he added.

Darussalam then urged everyone to cooperate and obey the Prisons Act 1995 and Prison Regulations 2000 while meeting or dealing with prisoners who are still carrying out their sentence.

In a response, Latheefa said banning her was a desperate attempt to silence Anwar on the eve of the general election. 

"This is an outrageous, unlawful and unconstitutional move by the Prisons Department.

"Anwar Ibrahim has a fundamental right to meet and consult with lawyers of his choice," she said, adding that neither the prison authorities nor the home ministry, have the legal authority to prevent any prisoner from having consultations with the lawyer of his choice.

The action to ban from meeting Anwar would interfere with ongoing court actions, she said. 

"Due to the so-called ‘ban’, I was unable to meet Anwar today and was thus, prevented from taking instructions for the hearing of a matter in the court of appeal on Monday, April 9. This is gross interference and disruption of the judicial process.

"I hold the Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi fully responsible for this so-called 'ban'. I call upon him to immediately reverse the ban, and respect Anwar’s right to counsel," she said, adding that she was considering options to mount a legal challenge against the ban.

Anwar was sentenced to a five-year jail term on Feb 10, 2015, on what he has maintained were trumped up sodomy charges.

He is expected to be released on June 8 this year, at the discretion of the Prisons Department director-general. - Mkini

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