Neil Bantleman can't leave Indonesia as prosecutors appeal

Prosecutors in Indonesia are appealing a Jakarta High Court decision last monththat overturned convictions againstCanadian teacher Neil Bantleman and an Indonesian teaching assistant on allegations they sexuallyabused students at an intercultural school.

Bantleman, a native of Burlington, Ont., has also been restricted from leaving Indonesia, according to his brother, Guy Bantleman.

• Neil Bantleman freed, sex assault conviction overturned in Indonesia

Bantleman, 45, and FerdinantTjiongwerefound guilty in April on allegations they hadrapedthree kindergarten students at the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS).

They were sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 100 million rupiah ($7,600 Cdn), butfiledappeals to the Jakarta High Courtin May.

While Bantleman and Tjiong's supporters understand the prosecutors'appeal is part of the justice process, they are disappointed, Guy Bantleman said.

The appeal and more time in limbo will "add more suffering" to the two men and their families, he said.

"We are grateful that Neil and Ferdi have been proven innocent and fully acquitted by the High Court, but we know our fight is not yet over," Guy Bantlemansaid. "We will continue to fight for the truth to fully emerge. We are fully confident that the decision of the Supreme Court will lay to rest any doubt or speculation and to prove this case was a complete fabrication."

He reiterated a call he and other supporters have made many times for the Canadian government to issue a statement in Bantleman's support.