Source: Reuters
A Cambodian court on Tuesday suspended 10 months of a one-year jail term it handed to a British man found guilty of producing pornography in connection with a party in the town of Siem Reap, home to the ruins of Angkor Wat.
Cambodia, a conservative Buddhist country, is frequented by young tourists backpacking through Southeast Asia.
Daniel Jones, who was tried last week in the Siem Reap provincial court, was among 10 foreigners the police detained in a January 25 raid on the event, called “Pub Crawl or Let’s Get Wet”.
“The accused said he unintentionally produced pornography that affects Khmer culture”
Authorities said the group danced provocatively at a pool party and posted pictures of themselves dancing on social media.
Judge Um Chan Thol ordered Jones to serve just one month and 22 days of his one-year sentence, calling his act of producing pornography “unintentional”.
“The accused said he unintentionally produced pornography that affects Khmer culture,” the judge said while reading his verdict, referring to Cambodia.
Jones had denied producing pornography.
“There was no evidence against my client,” said his lawyer, Ouch Sopheaktra. “As a lawyer, I am not happy with this decision.”
The court had dropped charges against the other nine foreigners and deported them.
