Candlelight vigils will be held in several cities on Thursday in a show of solidarity for a former Calgary private school teacher and a teaching assistant who have been detained in Indonesia for more than two weeks.

Neil Bantleman, 45, was arrested in Jakarta during a police investigation into the alleged sexual assault of three kindergarten students.

Bantleman is a former teacher at Webber Academy and has worked at the prestigious Jakarta International School for the past six years.

He was detained along with teaching assistant Ferdinand Tjiong, who is Indonesian, after attending a police station to answer questions regarding the investigation on July 14, 2014.

Bantleman's brother says the vigils are a show of solidarity for the two men, who have denied the allegations.

"These are two men who have co-operated, surrendered their passports," Guy Bantleman said from his home in Burlington, Ont. "There has been nothing to justify their detainment."

Guy Bantleman said since his brother's arrest, his supporters in Indonesia have held a nightly vigil outside the school gates.

He says this week is "critical," adding that according to Indonesian law, suspects can be held for 60 days without charges, however at the 20-day mark, police are expected to review the detainment.

"The 20-day marker was imperative because it kind of puts the police in a place where they have to make a decision one way or the other," Bantleman said. "We really feel this is the first opportunity to press for his release."

Bantleman said his family is remaining "optimistic" about his brother’s release. "You have to remember these are just allegations," he said. "For teachers this is the worst allegation that you can ever have put forward because it's something you have to live with for the rest of your life."

A vigil will be held in Burlington, Ontario at 7 p.m. Thursday to coincide with a morning vigil in Jakarta, he said.

A vigil is also planned for 8:00 p.m. outside the Webber Academy in Calgary and another will be held in Okotoks, where Neil Bantleman lived with his wife, Tracy.

Meanwhile, Bantleman is receiving Canadian consular services and a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said in an email that details on the case are not being released for privacy reasons.

(With files from The Canadian Press)