PHNOM PENH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court has sentenced an Israeli man to three years in prison for sexually abusing underage boys, an anti-pedophile organization said in a press statement on Friday.
Ezra Balfour, 60, was convicted of "indecent act against a minor under 15 years" by the Siem Reap Provincial Court on Wednesday, said the statement released by NGO Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE), which assisted the police in a probe leading to the arrest and conviction of the man.
"The man was arrested, sentenced to 3 years in jail and ordered to pay a compensation of 3 million riels (approximately 750 U.S. dollars) in total to 3 child victims," the statement said, citing a court's verdict.
"Additionally, he was banned from staying in Cambodia after the completion of his jail term."
According to the statement, Balfour rented a house in northwestern Siem Reap province last year where he brought several street boys for sexual abuse.
APLE's child protection specialist Khoem Vando said he welcomed the maximum punishment and additional punishment on the ban on stay in Cambodia.
"Ban on stay or deportation shall be mandatory for every child sex offender abusing children in Cambodia. This is a strong and effective deterrence," he said.
Cambodia launched an anti-pedophile operation in 2003 in a bid to end its reputation as a haven for child sex offenders. Since then, dozens of foreigners have been imprisoned for child sex crimes.
