A French court has released a prominent independence leader from New Caledonia, an overseas territory, who had been imprisoned for a year in connection with violent riots that occurred in 2024. Christian Tein, a member of the indigenous Kanak people, was charged with inciting the violence during the riots on the Pacific archipelago in May of the previous year, which resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen individuals.
Tein has been held in custody in eastern France since June 2024 and has consistently denied the allegations against him, viewing himself as a political prisoner. During a video call hearing, he agreed to respect future judicial summons and to live with his partner in eastern France. The court subsequently ordered his release under judicial control, with conditions preventing him from returning to New Caledonia and from contacting other suspects in the case.
Prosecutors have filed an appeal against the court’s decision. Tein’s lawyer, Francois Roux, described the release as “a first victory” and highlighted the international attention surrounding the case, including the involvement of the United Nations, to express his concern over the treatment of pro-independence activists being likened to terrorism.
New Caledonia, located approximately 17,000 kilometers from mainland France in the Pacific Ocean, is among the several overseas territories still under French jurisdiction.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/13/french-court-releases-new-caledonia-independence-leader-detained-over-deadly-riots-ntwnfb
