Professional-independence chief Christian Tein amongst seven flown to the mainland after final month’s large-scale riots.
Seven independence activists linked to a gaggle accused of orchestrating riots final month within the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia have been despatched to mainland France for pre-trial detention, in line with the native prosecutor.
“This switch was organised in the course of the night time by way of a airplane specifically chartered for the mission,” Yves Dupas, the general public prosecutor within the territory’s capital, Noumea, mentioned in an announcement on Sunday.
The seven had been despatched to France, he added, “as a result of sensitivity of the process and with a purpose to enable the investigations to proceed in a relaxed method, freed from any stress”.
Among the many seven detainees was Christian Tein, head of the pro-independence group Area Motion Coordination Cell (CCAT), who has been in custody and was charged on Saturday over the current violence wherein 9 individuals died, together with two police.
Tons of of individuals had been wounded and injury estimated at $1.6bn was inflicted in the course of the unrest over controversial voting reforms.
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Authorities didn’t instantly specify what expenses Tein faces, however Dupas mentioned his investigation lined armed theft and complicity in homicide or tried homicide, in line with French every day Le Monde.
Tein’s lawyer Pierre Ortent mentioned on Saturday he was “stupefied” that his consumer was being despatched to France, accusing magistrates of “answering to purely political concerns”.
“Nobody had any thought prematurely that they might be despatched to mainland France. These are completely distinctive steps” for New Caledonia, Ortent mentioned.
Stephane Bonomo, lawyer for one more detainee, Gilles Joredie, mentioned the prosecutors’ actions had been creating “martyrs for the independence trigger”, in line with Le Monde.
CCAT group’s communications chief Brenda Wanabo was additionally one of many suspects despatched to nearly 17,000km (10,563 miles) away, to France, Le Monde added.
Riots, road barricades and looting broke out in New Caledonia in Might over an electoral reform that will have allowed long-term residents to take part in native polls. Paris deployed troops to the territory in response.
The archipelago’s Indigenous Kanaks feared the transfer would dilute their vote, placing hopes for ultimately successful independence definitively out of attain.
France’s authorities repeatedly accused Tein’s CCAT of orchestrating the violence, a cost the organisation has denied.
