Reynhard Sinaga’s Parents Appeal to Indonesia’s President to Bring Him Home From a UK Prison

The parents of Reynhard Sinaga, the Indonesian man serving a life sentence in Britain for a series of sexual offenses, have appealed directly to Indonesia’s president in hopes of bringing their son back to his home country.

According to Indonesian news outlet Suara.com, Saibun Sinaga and Normawati Silaen sent a letter to President Prabowo Subianto requesting that their son be returned to Indonesia to serve the remainder of his sentence.

The request was confirmed in November 2025 by Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for legal affairs, human rights, immigration and corrections. Yusril said the letter had been received but had not yet been discussed by the government.

Officials indicated that any potential transfer would require careful consideration and further discussions before a decision could be made. At the time, there was no confirmed agreement to bring Sinaga back to Indonesia.

Sinaga became the focus of one of the largest rape investigations in British legal history. In January 2020, he was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of numerous sexual offenses against 48 men in Manchester. His victims were targeted after he drugged them, leaving them unconscious while he committed and recorded sexual assaults.

In December 2020, the Court of Appeal increased his minimum term from 30 years to 40 years before he could be considered for release. The sentence means he must serve at least four decades in prison before becoming eligible for consideration, rather than being guaranteed release after that period.

The family’s appeal came amid reports that Sinaga had been attacked by another inmate at HMP Wakefield, a high-security prison in England. The incident was reported to have raised concerns about his safety and contributed to renewed attention surrounding the possibility of his repatriation.

However, returning a prisoner to their country of origin is not a simple administrative decision. Any transfer would require cooperation between the Indonesian and British governments and agreement on the legal arrangements involved.

The request has also drawn controversy because of the severity and scale of Sinaga’s crimes. While his parents have sought his return, the British convictions and prison sentence remain in force.

As of the November 2025 report, Indonesian officials had not announced a final decision on the family’s request. Whether Sinaga will ever serve the remainder of his sentence in Indonesia remains dependent on government discussions and the outcome of any negotiations with Britain.

Source:  suara