This morning, the Appeal Court upheld CNRP deputy leader Kem Sokha's conviction for refusing to appear as a witness after rejecting all arguments put forward by defence lawyers.

Appeal Court judge Seng Sivutha also upheld the five months prison sentence and 800,000 riel (about $200) fine handed down by the Municipal Court following Kem Sokha's trial in September. The deputy opposition leader now has one more opportunity to appeal his conviction at the Supreme Court; if the conviction is upheld there, his sentence can be enforced.

In a simultaneous hearing this morning, the Supreme Court ruled against a motion which challenged the Phnom Penh Municipal Court investigating judge's initial decision to bring Kem Sokha to trial. The challenge was brought on the grounds of his parliamentary immunity.