Today, 14 June 2016, American national Brian David Naswall, 53, the former CEO and Founder of an aviation company and owner of a travel agency in Phnom Penh, was convicted of “purchase of child prostitution by Article 34 of the Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation 2008” against nine girls aged between 5 and 16. Naswall was sentenced by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to ten years’ imprisonment, and ordered to pay 48 million riel (approx. USD 12,000) compensation to six civil plaintiffs.
In May 2015, Brian David Naswall was caught red-handed by Tonle Basac police while engaging in sex with a twelve-year-old girl in the presence of two other underage girls. Naswall lured the girls to a quiet place surrounding Koh Pich Island where he sexually abused them with the promise to pay them 20$ and 15$. After the arrest, police of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department took over the case.
Child protection organization APLE assisted police to identify more victims. Six other victims had disclosed that they had been sexually exploited on different occasions. Finally, police had concluded a total of nine victims.
Victim families expressed their concerns when the court didn’t order Naswall's deportation. They all see high risk that Naswall could pose to their safety. They call on the court to reconsider deporting Naswall.
“I applaud the decision of the court. However, I express my heartfelt disappointment that the court didn’t order his deportation. Without deportation, he would exploit an opportunity to be here to prey on Cambodian children. Deportation should be made automatically,” said Mr. Vando Khoem, program director at APLE Cambodia.
