Ten Westerners arrested in Cambodia for allegedly posting photos on social media showing themselves engaged in sexually suggestive dancing may have offended local standards of morality, but should be expelled from the country rather than jailed, one of their lawyers said Tuesday.
In this file 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.
The 10 — from the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands and New Zealand — were arrested last Thursday when police raided a party at a rented villa in the northwestern town of Siem Reap and found people "dancing pornographically" at an event organizers called a pub crawl. Siem Reap is near the famous Angkor Wat temple complex.
The detainees face up to a year in prison if convicted, and if they go to trial, it would likely happen in the next few months, said one of their lawyers, Sourng Sophea. He said the families of some of the detainees have contacted him by phone from overseas, but none had come yet to visit.
In this file 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.
Two other lawyers have joined the defense, and visited the detainees in jail on Tuesday. One of them, Chhouy Sopheak, said the 10 were in good health and detained in acceptable conditions. He said they gave their versions of events and denied any wrongdoing.
Sourng Sophea said some of the photos posted by his clients showed them at a party, some drinking by a swimming pool and some of the women in bikinis, but none showed them having sex or exposing themselves. According to the law, he said, they should be deported or have their visas canceled, but should not be held in pretrial detention.
In this file 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.
"I admit that they have done something wrong according to morality in Cambodian society, but their crimes did not warrant them being charged or put in jail," Sourng Sophea said by phone.
He said that when the 10 had been taken into custody but not yet charged, he sent a three -page note to the Siem Reap provincial police and prosecutors, asserting that they had not committed any serious wrongdoing, were innocent of producing pornography, and should be released, but was turned down.
BERLIN (AP) — Josip Stanišić scored in stoppage time for champion Bayer Leverkusen to preserve its German record unbeaten run with a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Leverkusen substitute Florian Wirtz sent in a corner that Stanišić headed to equalize in the seventh minute of stoppage time, stretching the visitors’ unbeaten start to the season to 45 games across all competitions.
"Today was crazy," Stanišić said.
Leverkusen, which clinched its first ever Bundesliga title last weekend, was heading toward its first defeat since the final day of last season when Niclas Füllkrug scored for Dortmund in the 81st minute.
Marcel Sabitzer crossed for Füllkrug to score with a volley against the run of play as Leverkusen had gone closer to breaking the deadlock.
Tempers flared late in the game before Stanišić kept the league champions’ celebrations going for another week.
“Our goal is to complete the season unbeaten,” Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka said.
Xabi Alonso’s team, which has also reached the German Cup final, faces Roma in the Europa League semifinals with the first leg in Rome on May 2.
BREMEN STUNS STUTTGART
Marvin Ducksch scored twice for Werder Bremen to beat Stuttgart 2-1 and end the visitors' 11-game run without defeat in the league
Ducksch dispatched a penalty in the 28th minute, then scored again early in the second half for Bremen to take a big step away from the relegation zone.
Germany forward Deniz Undav scored late for Stuttgart but couldn’t prevent the visitors’ first league loss since January, when the team lost 1-0 at Bochum.
Stuttgart remained third, on course for Champions League qualification, despite the loss.
Bremen moved eight points clear of Mainz, which was in the relegation playoff place before it played later at Freiburg.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Leverkusen's Josip Stanisic, up, scores for his team in the last minute against Dortmund's goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, right, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, April 21, 2024. The match ended 1-1, Leverkusen is unbeaten since 45 matches. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Leverkusen's Josip Stanisic, center, celebrates after scoring in the last minute during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Leverkusen's Josip Stanisic, up, scores for his team in the last minute during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, April 21, 2024. The match ended 1-1, Leverkusen is unbeaten since 45 matches. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Leverkusen's Josip Stanisic, left, celebrates after scoring in the last minute during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Werder's Nick Woltemade, right, fights for the ball with Stuttgart's Leonidas Stergiou during the Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart at the Weserstadion stadium in Bremen, Germany, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP)
Werder's Marvin Ducksch celebrates after scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart at the Weserstadion stadium in Bremen, Germany, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP)
Werder's Marvin Ducksch, centre, scores his side's first goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart at the Weserstadion stadium in Bremen, Germany, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP)
Werder's Marvin Ducksch celebrates after scoring his side's second goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart at the Weserstadion stadium in Bremen, Germany, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP)
Werder's Marvin Ducksch celebrates after scoring his side's second goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfB Stuttgart at the Weserstadion stadium in Bremen, Germany, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Carmen Jaspersen/dpa via AP)
