Families and lawyers have no right of access and detainees are customarily held in solitary confinement. The government amended the 1960 act a number of times to remove the power of judges to review detentions. On Wednesday a high court judge rejected a habeas corpus appeal by lawyers for five detainees, saying courts have no power to intervene. Home Affairs Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has given assurances that those detained this month will not be physically ill treated. Anwar, who is serving 15 years in jail after being convicted of abuse of power and sodomy, has said he was framed to avert a political challenge to Mahathir.
Authorities deny the charge.