Danish man convicted of prostitution-related crimes in Cambodia freed by royal pardon

Dane accused of forcing children to have sex for money

Svend Erick Jonasson – a Danish guesthouse owner imprisoned in Cambodia in 2010 for forcing his male staff members, some as young as 15 years old, to have sex with customers – has been freed by royal pardon after serving six years of an eight-year sentence.

Jonasson, who operated a guest house in Siem Reap City, received the pardon in January. The reason for the pardon was not revealed.

Convicted of being a pimp
Jonasson admitted to having sex with the three male staff members, but denied he forced them to have sex with guests on numerous occasions from 2009 until his arrest in 2010. Police said that Jonasson forced his employees to have sex with customers and took a percentage of the payment.

Jonasson was convicted in June 2011 of procuring prostitution involving children and sent to a provincial prison for eight years.

A local NGO, which was behind the investigation that brought Jonasson to justice, has expressed disappointment that his sentence had been reduced.

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