The incarceration of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim was raised before the Human Rights Council in Geneva yesterday, according to the party.

In a statement, PKR's communications team said Anwar's plight was raised by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zaid Ra'ad, when presenting his annual report to the Human Rights Council.

It added that Anwar was the only prisoner of conscience anywhere in the world mentioned by the high commissioner.

"He highlighted the ongoing imprisonment of Anwar Ibrahim, which he described as arbitrary, as emblematic of the country’s retreat from democratic principles," said the statement.

Zaid was quoted in his remarks to the council saying, "In Malaysia, democratic space continues to be limited, with the government applying ‘sedition’ and other charges to an ever-widening circle of journalists, human rights defenders, political opponents, and critical voices.

"The enactment of the Prevention of Terrorist Act (POTA) and the National Security Council Act (NSA), without proper human rights safeguards, and without transparent and consultative process, is also a matter of concern.

"The imprisonment of a former opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim - whose detention has been ruled arbitrary by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention - is emblematic of a broader democratic malaise."

Anwar was in February 2015 jailed for five years for sodomy, a charge he maintains is politically motivated.

The former opposition leader has complained of inadequate medical treatment since his incarceration.

Anwar, who is also involved in 16 ongoing civil and criminal cases, had also complained of not being allowed sufficient legal access.

He subsequently discharged his lawyers from some of the cases to represent himself.