Tourists Who Stripped in Malaysia Released From Jail

A British woman and three companions were freed from a Malaysian jail Friday after they pleaded guilty in court to committing obscene acts in public after they stripped naked on a mountain there.

Eleanor Hawkins was among a group of backpackers who took off their clothes while on a visit to Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu, a place held sacred by many in Malaysia.
Hawkins, 23, admitted the offense while appearing in Kota Kinabalu Magistrates' Court on Friday. She is a student from Derby, England. Canadian sisters Danielle and Lindsey Petersen, along with Dutch national Dylan Snel, also pleaded guilty and were released Friday. The four travelers were sentenced to three days in prison, time they already served from the time of their arrest on June 9. The women appeared topless on the mountain and the men were completely nude.
The travelers, also charged with making a lot of noise on the mountain and publicly urinating in a nearby pond, were subsequently blamed by residents of the area for starting an earthquake that killed 18 people. The court said there was no connection between the two events, but pointed out that the behavior showed disrespect and angered many in the Malaysian community.

USATODAY