A French court on Thursday, June 12, freed an independence leader from the overseas territory of New Caledonia who had been detained for a year over deadly riots in 2024.
Christian Tein, who hails from the indigenous Kanak group, was charged and incarcerated over the rioting on the Pacific archipelago in May last year that left more than a dozen dead. He has been held in custody in eastern France since June 2024 but has always denied accusations of instigating the violence and sees himself as a political prisoner.
In a hearing attended by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Paris Appeals Court ordered the release of Tein after a video call with him in which he promised to respond to future judicial summons and to live with his partner in eastern France.
Investigating magistrates who questioned Tein in late May concluded there was no proof that he was preparing an armed uprising against the government, a source close to the case said last week, asking not to be named. They ordered his release under judicial control on condition he does not return to New Caledonia nor enter into contact with other suspects in the case, the source said.
But prosecutors lodged an appeal. One of Tein's lawyers, Francois Roux, on Thursday hailed what he called "a first victory." "This is a decolonization case that is being followed by the United Nations," he said, adding it was regrettable to see "pro-independence activists being treated like terrorists."
New Caledonia, nearly 17,000 kilometers distant from mainland France, in the Pacific Ocean, is one of several overseas territories that remain an integral part of France.