KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Less than a week after Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was jailed for sodomy, his lawyers said Monday that he faces a health risk because he's living in a bare cell with just a 2-inch-thick foam mattress on the floor, a bucket for bathing and a squat toilet. Anwar, 67, began a five-year prison sentence last Tuesday after Malaysia's top court turned down his final appeal, ruling there was overwhelming evidence that he had sodomized a former male aide. The case was widely seen as politically motivated to eliminate any threats to the ruling coalition, whose popularity has been eroding after more than five decades of unquestioned dominance. The lawyers said the prison conditions were aggravating Anwar's longtime back and spine problems, which could “pose a grave threat to his health.” Because of his medical condition, his lawyers requested a bed with a medically suitable mattress, a chair and table, a shower and a proper toilet for Anwar. Anwar cannot bend over or stand up from sitting on the floor without pain, they said. — AP
