Malaysia's high court ruled Wednesday that former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim could not appeal a corruption conviction and clear the way for a return to politics. The Federal Court had previously overturned a sodomy conviction against Anwar, freeing him from prison after six years, but the court refused to rehear the corruption conviction, citing no new evidence in the case.

Anwar already served his prison sentence for the corruption conviction, however he remains ineligible for political office under a law banning convicted felons for five years. His only recourse is now a pardon from the Malaysian king, which appears unlikely. Read the court opinion. The Free Anwar Campaign has more on his appeals. Reuters has more.