Prosecutors in Indonesia are seeking 12 year jail terms against a former Calgary teacher and his Indonesian teaching assistant in connection with a sexual abuse case at an international school in the Southeast Asian nation.

Neil Bantleman, who used to teach at Webber Academy, has been in jail since July of last year, along with his teaching assistant Ferdinand Tijiong.

The pair is accused of sexually abusing three young children at the Jakarta International School.

Bantleman and Tijiong, as do many other fellow teachers and administrators at the school, say they’re innocent.

Prosecuting lawyers are seeking sentences of 12 years out of a maximum 15 years for violating the Child Protection Law.

The lawyers say they’re seeking such heavy sentences because of the trauma inflicted on the victims.

Late in 2014, five janitors at the school were convicted and sentenced to up to eight years in prison for the sexual abuse of one of the children.

Bantlman’s family has been lobbying the Canadian government to step in on his behalf for some time now.