Saying it was uncalled for, Motley said she had requested permission to meet Anwar at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL), in her capacity as his international lawyer.
“I am appalled that Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the Malaysian government have refused permission for this meeting.
“It is fundamental that a person is entitled to have access to legal advisers of his choice while in prison.
“The rejection of my request to meet Anwar is in breach of international standards of access to justice and paints Malaysia in a bad light,” Motley said in a statement today.
Zahid is also the deputy prime minister.
Motley had yesterday urged Prime Minister Najib Razak to look into the immediate release of the jailed opposition leader.
She said she hoped to meet Najib and Zahid during her stay in Malaysia in the next few days.
“Najib can call for Anwar’s immediate release and there are certain avenues that he can take to allow for Anwar’s release.
“That is something he can do. He can also allow for him to continue his medical treatment while he is at home,” she had said during a press conference at PKR’s headquarters here yesterday.
Motley has been representing Anwar since Sept 7 on a pro bono basis.
Anwar, 70, was sentenced to five years’ jail for sodomising Mohd Saiful Bukhari, 30, at Desa Damansara condominium in Bukit Damansara on June 26, 2008.
He is currently serving the sentence at the Sungai Buloh prison.
Anwar can be placed under house arrest instead, says his former lawyer