Sick! Bloody rotten judiciary!

Anwar Ibrahim

Anwar has described both charges as fabrications intended to remove him as a political rival to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, whose administration is alleged by him to be riddled with corruption.

He has confirmed that he will appeal, but the new ruling effectively ends his political career.

Hundreds of riot police have taken up position outside the court house in what appears to be an attempt to prevent a repetition of violent clashes last year, when Mr Anwar was first sent to prison.

The prosecution has proved its case... There were some discrepancies, but these were explained

Judge Ariffin Jaka

The court action began after Anwar was suddenly sacked from the cabinet in 1998 and charged with a series of crimes.

The latest concerned allegations that Anwar and his adopted brother, also on trial and found guilty, forcibly sodomised their family driver Azizan Abu Bakar in 1993.

Mixed reaction

Although Anwar had expected to be found guilty, his reaction to the verdict was mixed.

Security was tight around the federal court

"You have to be realistic," he told reporters. Anwar refused to blame the judge, Ariffin Jaka, for the verdict, saying he believed he was "just following orders".

However, he then shouted "sick", and throwing up his arms in frustration stormed out of the public gallery accompanied by his lawyers.

Defence attorney Christopher Fernando said he was "shocked and flabbergasted" by the ruling.

After delivering the verdict, Judge Ariffin said he was satisfied that the prosecution had proved their case, and pointed to Anwar's apparent failure to provide an alibi during the time of the assault. During the trial, prosecutors twice changed the year of the assault, before settling on 1993.

Opposition leader Tien Chua is carried away by police

Anwar had testified in both of the trials that Dr Mahathir had framed him on sex charges in an attempt to stave off a possible leadership challenge - an accusation denied by the prime minister, who said his deputy was morally unfit to be his successor.

Some 200 Anwar supporters gathered outside the courthouse for the verdict, watched over by the police.

At least two people - including an opposition leader - were reported to have been arrested.

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

Long sentence

Although the sentence is not as harsh as the 20 years some feared, a BBC correspondent says Anwar's political career is now effectively over.

In addition to the 15 years Anwar must now spend behind bars, he has been prohibited from holding political office for a further five years after he is released.

Supporters say Anwar has been framed

Supporters of Anwar say the government has given him a long term to remove him, and the reformist policies he advocates.

Speaking outside the courtroom, leader of the opposition People's Party of Malaysia Rustam Sani said he believed the verdict had been delivered by a "political judiciary".

"I want to see how they argue out for the verdict and wiggle out of being a real court rather than being a kangaroo court," he said.

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

She said: "As my husband has said in mitigation it's a small price to pay for democracy and justice and he is willing [to pay it]."