Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been cleared of sodomy charges after a two-year trial.
The 64-year-old had been facing up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of having sex with a former male aide.
He denied the charges, claiming they were part of a government bid to stifle his political ambitions.
DNA evidence submitted by the prosecution was declared unreliable by judge Zabidin Mohamad Diah, who discharged the case.
Sex between men is illegal in Malaysia, even if it is consensual.
Speaking after the verdict, Ibrahim told the Guardian: “Thank God justice has prevailed. I have been vindicated. To be honest I’m a little surprised.”
In 1998 Ibrahim was jailed for six years for sodomy and corruption charges. The sodomy charge was overturned in 2004.