New Caledonia independence activists sent to France for detention

Pro-independence leader Christian Tein among seven flown to the mainland after last month’s large-scale riots.

Seven independence activists linked to a group accused of orchestrating riots last month in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia have been sent to mainland France for pre-trial detention, according to the local prosecutor.

“This transfer was organised during the night by means of a plane specially chartered for the mission,” Yves Dupas, the public prosecutor in the territory’s capital, Noumea, said in a statement on Sunday.

The seven were sent to France, he added, “due to the sensitivity of the procedure and in order to allow the investigations to continue in a calm manner, free of any pressure”.

Among the seven detainees was Christian Tein, head of the pro-independence group Field Action Coordination Cell (CCAT), who has been in custody and was charged on Saturday over the recent violence in which nine people died, including two police.

Hundreds of people were wounded and damage estimated at $1.6bn was inflicted during the unrest over controversial voting reforms.