KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 ― Putrajaya is duty bound as a member of the United Nations (UN) to release Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim unconditionally, after a working group in the world body asserted today his detention violates international law, the federal opposition said today.

PKR's Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had unanimously ruled that the former opposition leader's detention since February this year is illegal, after some two months of an in depth study of the case by experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council.

Citing the working group's findings, Nurul Izzah said it recommends Anwar's immediate release and reinstatement of his political rights as an “adequate remedy”.

PKR's Padang Serai MP N. Surendran noted that Malaysia cannot disregard the findings of the working group, as the country had been a member of the UN Human Rights Council for two terms from 2006 to 2009 and from 2010 to 2013.

He claimed that non-compliance with the findings would leave Malaysia in a “difficult position” as it will weigh on the country's global reputation.

“What, in essence, this means is the UN is saying there is a breach of international law in his detention and continued detention,” Surendran said, referring to Anwar.

“Our country cannot afford to disregard the UN. The government has to look at the findings and we are bound to comply with it,” he added.

Nurul Izzah said the working group handed over the first draft of their findings to Anwar's international legal team in early October, but could not say when the UN committee will publish its report.

“The group will issue a public report, and the government of Malaysia has already been informed... they are well aware of it.

“As for what's next, we will keep up the pressure,” she said.

Anwar, a former finance minister and deputy prime minister, was jailed in February for five years for sodomising a former male aide.

He denies the charge, calling the case a conspiracy by Putrajaya to cripple the opposition and end his political career.