West Australian barrister Ron Cannon will defend Fijian...

West Australian barrister Ron Cannon will defend Fijian coup plotter George Speight against charges of treason.
Approached to take the high-profile case by an international circuit of lawyers linked with the United Nations, Cannon, 74, described Mr Speight as a likable person who did not deserve to die for his beliefs under the mandatory death penalty which the charges carried.
"This is an ethnic issue with tribal loyalties playing a big part," he said.
Cannon said Speight was concerned with the rights of the indigenous community.
He said his client, who led the coup which toppled Fiji's Indian-dominated government in 2000, won a seat in the August 2001 elections to replace the ousted government.