Police in Cuba have detained six Canadians, including four men from Montreal and two women from Toronto, after a wild resort vacation ended in allegations of rape.
The two women in their early 20s have accused the four men of assaulting them while they were vacationing in the popular resort town of Varadero.
The men, identified by a defence lawyer as Hervé Kalongo Kalongo, Guems Jean, Michel-Ange Pierrecin and Steven Michel, have been in jail since their arrests on July 19.
All in their mid-20s, the men accuse the two women of inventing the story to cover up wild vacation behaviour.
Three of the men hired Montreal lawyer John Pepper, who has collected sworn statements from three fellow travellers saying the women were willing participants in a wild week of partying and casual sexual encounters.
Cuban police trying to sort out the mess detained the young women just before they were to head home to Toronto.
"Often our clients tell us lies, but in this case I'm convinced these boys are telling the truth," said Mr. Pepper.
Calls to the home of the young women's parents were not answered.
The sworn statements from three witnesses say the men and women were part of a group of about 15 young adults who partied together all week.
Two of the men's friends gave the statements, but also Emmanuelle Poirier, a Trois-Rivières, Que., woman who met all six people while on the trip.
Mr. Pepper said he also has photos showing everyone, including the women, engaging in "lascivious behaviour."
"I have photos of my clients in bed with the women, and the kind of dancing you'd expect to see in a strip club."
Mr. Pepper admitted he is going public about the case to try to press the women into dropping the issue.
He's also sent legal notice to the home of the women's parents warning they will be sued.
He said he could not explain why the women would invent the story, other than to point to their Muslim Egyptian origins and muse about how their family would feel about the alleged wild week.
The men are being treated well in jail and have received assistance from Canadian consular officials.
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