Seven pro-independence activists, including Christian Tein, the leader of the Field Action Coordination Cell (CCAT), have been transported to mainland France for pre-trial detention. The move comes after last month’s large-scale riots in New Caledonia, a French Pacific territory, which resulted in nine deaths, including two police officers, and caused an estimated $1.6 billion in damages.
Yves Dupas, the public prosecutor in Noumea, confirmed the transfer, stating that it was necessary to ensure a calm and pressure-free environment for ongoing investigations. The detainees, including Tein, were sent to France due to the sensitivity of the procedure. The charges against Tein have not been announced, but Dupas mentioned that the investigation covers armed robbery and complicity in murder or attempted murder.
Tein’s lawyer, Pierre Ortent, expressed surprise at the decision to send his client to France, accusing the magistrates of responding to political considerations. Ortent emphasized that such measures were unprecedented for New Caledonia. Another detainee, Gilles Joredie, had his lawyer, Stephane Bonomo, claim that the prosecutors’ actions were creating “martyrs for the independence cause.”
Brenda Wanabo, the communications chief of the CCAT group, was also among the suspects flown to France, according to Le Monde.
The riots in New Caledonia erupted in May following protests against electoral reforms that would have allowed long-term residents to participate in local polls. The Indigenous Kanaks, fearing a dilution of their vote, believed this would hinder their aspirations for eventual independence. In response to the unrest, the French government deployed troops to the territory.
2 Responses
This is absolutely outrageous! How can the French government justify transporting pro-independence activists to mainland France for pre-trial detention? It is a clear violation of their rights and a blatant attempt to silence their voices.
Christian Tein, the leader of the Field Action Coordination Cell (CCAT), has been fighting for the rights and independence of his people. Instead of engaging in a meaningful dialogue and addressing the concerns of these activists, the French government has chosen to suppress them by imprisoning them in a
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