Close X
Sunday, September 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canadian Teacher In Indonesian Prison Showing 'Great Resilience': Wife Says

The Canadian Press, 07 Mar, 2016 10:43 AM
    TORONTO — The family of a Canadian teacher convicted of sexually abusing children in Indonesia says they are worried squalid prison conditions could threaten his health.
     
    Neil Bantleman's family issued a statement on how the Ontario man has been faring since an Indonesian court overturned his acquittal last month.
     
    Bantleman's wife Tracy says she can visit her husband for up to two hours every day and bring food and other basic supplies to him.
     
    She says Bantleman is showing "great resilience" but notes the conditions inside the prison are deplorable and she fears his health could "easily deteriorate rapidly."
     
    Bantleman and an Indonesian teaching assistant have maintained their innocence since they were accused of sexually abusing three children at a prestigious international school in the capital Jakarta.
     
    Indonesia's High Court overturned their convictions last August, but prosecutors appealed to the country's supreme court which overruled the lower court last month and added an extra year to the pair's original 10 year prison sentences.
     
    Bantleman's family is continuing to press the Canadian government to apply pressure on Indonesia, meeting with the Parliamentary Secretary for Global Affairs in Mississauga, Ont. last week.
     
    Bantleman's brother Guy says Omar Alghabra assured him the government is working at the "highest levels" to ensure a resolution to the case.
     
    Guy Bantleman says Neil Bantleman's mother gave a hand-written letter to Alghabra to deliver to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking him to find a way to bring her son home.
     
    Bantleman says he is travelling to Ottawa later this week for more meetings with federal officials to discuss his brother's plight.
     
    He also says his brother's lawyers are waiting for a written decision from the Supreme Court so they can prepare a judicial review of the case.
     
    Canada's ambassador to Indonesia visited Bantleman in prison last Monday and told him the Canadian government is doing everything it can to bring him home.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Watch: Torotno-Area Police Video Offers 'Bottom-level Luxury' Accommodations To Drunk Drivers

    The video released ahead of New Year's Eve, also touts the force's "complimentary shuttle service" — also known as a police cruiser.

    Watch: Torotno-Area Police Video Offers 'Bottom-level Luxury' Accommodations To Drunk Drivers

    Calgary Man Writes New York Times' Most Popular Comment Of All Time

    Calgary Man Writes New York Times' Most Popular Comment Of All Time
    Bob from Calgary, as he is identified on the site, received some 7,040 recommendations for his comment on a 2010 column about wealth and privilege written by Paul Krugman.

    Calgary Man Writes New York Times' Most Popular Comment Of All Time

    Son Charged In Death Of Andrew Chan, Well-Known Doctor, From Peterborough, Ont.

    Son Charged In Death Of Andrew Chan, Well-Known Doctor, From Peterborough, Ont.
    Peterborough police said Dr. Andrew Chan, 50, was found dead in his home early on Monday morning. A woman was discovered at the same home and police said she is now in critical but stable condition.

    Son Charged In Death Of Andrew Chan, Well-Known Doctor, From Peterborough, Ont.

    Telus Agrees To Give Up To $7.3m In Customer Rebates For Misleading Ads

    Telus Agrees To Give Up To $7.3m In Customer Rebates For Misleading Ads
    The federal agency said Wednesday that Telus will give rebates of up to $7.34 million to some of its existing and former wireless customers over false or misleading representations in advertisements.

    Telus Agrees To Give Up To $7.3m In Customer Rebates For Misleading Ads

    Canadian Chef Ben Ing Named Head Chef Of Acclaimed Noma Restaurant In Denmark

    Canadian Chef Ben Ing Named Head Chef Of Acclaimed Noma Restaurant In Denmark
    Ben Ing, 30, of Ottawa says it's an "honour" to be vaulted to the head chef position at Rene Redzepi's establishment, which has two Michelin stars and earned the No. 1 spot on the The World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.

    Canadian Chef Ben Ing Named Head Chef Of Acclaimed Noma Restaurant In Denmark

    Mounties, Businessman Save Christmas For B.C. Children Seized By Ministry Worker

    RCMP in the Interior city of Trail say the constables visited a local home on Thursday to check on the well-being of five- and nine-year-old girls.

    Mounties, Businessman Save Christmas For B.C. Children Seized By Ministry Worker