Canadians arrested in Cambodia over photos

Two Canadian women arrested among several foreigners in Cambodia are facing charges of producing pornographic photos during a party near the country’s famed Angkor Wat temple.

A news release from the Cambodian National Police lists Eden Kazoleas, 20, and Jessica Drolet, 25, and eight men as being detained in the northwestern town of Siem Reap. CTV News reports that Kazoleas is from Drayton Valley.

“This is really, really concerning,” her aunt Donna Kazoleas told CTV. “Eden is a very, very good kid. She is very outgoing. She doesn’t smoke. She doesn’t drink.”

A Cambodian prosecutor Samrith Sokhon said Monday that the 10 foreigners — including five from the United Kingdom, and one each from Norway, the Netherlands and New Zealand — have denied any wrongdoing.

Still, there is “enough evidence to prove that they violated the law and, therefore, they must face charges,” Sokhon said.

The accused face up to a year in prison if convicted. Since they are in jail, they could not be reached for comment and it was not immediately possible to find the lawyer representing them.