As a number of tourists await trial in Cambodia after being accused of ‘pornographic dancing’, photographs from other similar backpacker parties have emerged online.
Five British men aged between 19 and 35 have been arrested in Cambodia on indecency charges, after allegedly taking part in ‘pornographic dancing’ near to the sacred ancient temples of Angkor Wat.
In light of the arrests, photographs of other Siam Reap backpacker parties – such as those hosted by Lets Get Wet – have been disseminated.
The accused claim they are innocent and have no idea why they’ve been arrested.
One prisoner said the group of ex-pats were at a villa party barbecue on Thursday at 4pm local time when police started to pluck people out of the crowd.
They told a Cambodian ex-pat news site their families are ‘worried sick’, adding:
We’re innocent. We don’t know why we’ve been arrested – we’re getting different stories from different people.
Honestly, it was really confusing. Everyone was confused. They raided, rounded us up – there was about 80 to 100 people at this party, some of them were tourists. There were about 30 of them [police officers.]
Our parents are doing what they can. It’s really just trying to keep a good vibe until we know the outcome.
Photographs of the alleged crime released by police are understood to have been obtained from a witness at the scene, and no sexual acts were included in the allegations, leading to much confusion among the accused.
The group arrested confirmed their identities, including the five British men; Vincent Harley Robert Hook, 35, Daniel Richard Leeming Jones, 30, Thomas Alexander Jeffries, 22, Billy Stevens, 21, and Paul Francis Harris, 32.
Also in the arrested group of 10 tourists is Job Robertus van der Wel, from the Netherlands, 22, Canadians Jessica Drolet, of Ottawa, 25, and Eden Koazoleas, 19, of Alberta, were also arrested, along with David Nikolaus Aleksandr Ballovarre, of Oslo, Norway, 22, and Paul Martin Brasch, 32, of New Zealand.
The local authority said:
The competent authorities are preparing a case to submit to the provincial court.
The accused have been sleeping on the floor of a police station for the past three nights, but stress they have been treated kindly by the authorities, having been brought pizza by guards.
If the group is found guilty, they could face a year in prison and could even be detained for six months before the case even goes to trial.
The Foreign Office said it was assisting the five British men and is providing assistance to their families.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.