Dutch paedophile suspect held in Cambodia

4 May 2004

AMSTERDAM — Two naked boys, both aged 13, were found by Cambodian police in a hotel room occupied by a suspected paedophile from the Netherlands, it was reported on Tuesday.

The 48-year-old man — identified only as Rene A. — has been charged by a court in Cambodia with sexually abusing seven juveniles. Three of the alleged victims have given witness statements to the police.

The authorities in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh allege 52 pornographic photographs of small boys where also found in the man’s possession.

Since the late 1990s when the last of despot Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge rebels surrendered, renewed peace and stability has led to increasing tourism in Cambodia. With this has emerged a reputation for sex tourism and paedophiles.

Child protection agency Action for Children — which was set up to protect children from exploitation — brought the Dutchman’s alleged activities to the attention of the local authorities.

The organisation claims that A. has visited Cambodia nine times in the last five to six years.

The Dutch embassy in neighbouring Thailand confirmed to the media that people convicted of sexually abusing juveniles are often jailed for up to 10 years in Cambodia.

[© Novum Nieuws 2004]

Subject: Dutch news + sex tourism