Independence leader Christian Thein was one of seven people flown to mainland China after last month’s mass riots.
Seven independence activists linked to a group allegedly orchestrating violence in the French territory of New Caledonia last month have been transferred to mainland France for pre-trial detention, local prosecutors said.
“The transfer was planned at night on a plane specially chartered for this mission,” Yves Dupas, the prosecutor in the territory’s capital, Noumea, said in a statement on Sunday.
He added that the seven had been transferred to France “due to the confidentiality of the proceedings and so that the investigation can continue calmly without any pressure.”
Among the seven detained is Christian Thein, head of the pro-independence group Centre for Coordination of Action on the Ground (CCAT), who was detained and charged on Saturday in connection with the recent riots that left nine people dead, including two police officers.
Unrest over controversial voting reforms left hundreds of people injured and caused damage estimated at $1.6 billion.
The charges have not been made public.
Authorities did not immediately say what charges Thain was facing, but Dupas said the investigation into him covered armed robbery and conspiracy to commit murder or attempted murder, according to French daily Le Monde.
Tain’s lawyer, Pierre Hortin, said on Saturday he was “stunned” that his client would be sent to France and accused magistrates of “serving purely political considerations.”
“No one knew in advance that they would be sent to mainland France. This is a totally unusual step for New Caledonia,” Oltento said.
Stephane Bonomo, the lawyer for another detainee, Gilles Jauredi, said the prosecutor’s actions were creating “martyrs for the independence movement,” according to Le Monde.
Le Monde added that CCAT Group’s communications director, Brenda Wanabo, was among the suspects sent to France, some 17,000 kilometres away.
France responded by sending troops to the region in May after riots, street barricades and looting erupted in New Caledonia over electoral reforms that would allow long-term residents to take part in local elections.
The islands’ indigenous Kanak people fear the move will dilute their voting power and put their hopes of eventually winning independence completely out of reach.
The French government has repeatedly accused Tain’s CCAT of orchestrating the violence, a charge the group denies.
