A group of unidentified foreigners was accused of "dancing pornographically" at a party in Siem Reap town, near Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple complex. (Cambodian National Police via AP)
A sex-charged crash of cultures has landed 10 Westerners in jail in Cambodia.
Cambodian prosecutors charged 10 foreigners Sunday with producing “pornographic” pictures after they were arrested at a party in Siem Reap town, near the country’s famed Angkor Wat temple complex.
Police said they raided a rented villa Thursday where the foreigners were taking part in what organizers billed as a pub crawl and found people “dancing pornographically.”
A statement on the arrests posted on the National Police website Sunday included photos showing clothed young adults rolling around together on a dance floor.
The prosecutor of the Siem Reap provincial court, Samrith Sokhon, said that those charged face up to a year in prison if convicted.
In this photo dated Jan. 27, 2018, issued by Cambodian National Police, a group of foreigners stand after they were arrested for "dancing pornographically" at a party in Siem Reap town, near the country's famed Angkor Wat temple complex. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
He said after producing the photos, the foreigners shared them on social media.
“Any people producing pornography is contrary to Cambodia’s traditions,” he said.
While almost 90 foreigners were detained, all but 10 were released. The 10 arrested are five British nationals, two Canadians, one Norwegian, one New Zealander and one from the Netherlands.
According to The Guardian, one of the prisoners, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the group believed police were cracking down on foreign tourists and ex-pats breaking local customs in Siem Reap.
“We’re innocent,” said the prisoner. “We don’t know why we’ve been arrested, we’re getting different stories from different people.”
They said their families were “worried sick,” adding: “Our parents are doing what they can. It’s really just trying to keep a good vibe until we know the outcome.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.