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Family of teacher jailed in Indonesia says federal officials taking case seriously

Canadian teacher Neil Bantleman reacts during his verdict trial at South Jakarta District Court in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 2, 2015.
Canadian teacher Neil Bantleman reacts during his verdict trial at South Jakarta District Court in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 2, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Tatan Syuflana

OTTAWA – Family members of a Canadian teacher jailed in Indonesia say they’re satisfied the federal government is doing more than paying lip service to the case.

Last month Indonesia’s high court overturned Neil Bantleman’s acquittal of charges of sexually abusing children and he was put back in prison.

Bantleman has maintained his innocence since he was accused of abusing three children at a prestigious international school in the capital Jakarta.

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READ MORE: Canadian teacher in Indonesian prison showing ‘great resilience’: wife says

The case attracted the attention of Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion, who issued a statement last month saying the government was “deeply dismayed and shocked” that the acquittal ruling was overturned.

Bantleman’s brother Guy spent the past two days in Ottawa meeting with MPs and officials in the department of Global Affairs.

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The family has maintained Neil Bantleman was the victim of a corrupt Indonesian justice system and his brother said he came away with the feeling that the federal Liberals are serious about finding a way to get the teacher freed.

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