Balanced News: Cambodian opposition figure to appeal defamation verdicts

A senior leader of Cambodia’s main opposition party will ask the country’s Supreme Court to overturn his conviction in a defamation case brought by election officials and Cambodia’s ruling party, a defense attorney said Tuesday. Son Chhay, vice president of the Candlelight Party, which won only 19% of the contested seats in local communes in June 5 elections, has authorized his lawyer to file an appeal, defense attorney Choung Chou Ngy told RFA. CPP spokesman Sok Ey San told RFA that Son Chhay must accept any final ruling by the Supreme Court, and that the ruling party won’t negotiate with the Candlelight Party to settle the case.