The New Caledonian independence movement Christian Tein, imprisoned in Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin), will remain detained in France, the Court of Appeal of Nouméa decided on Friday, November 29, following the invalidation in October of his detention pronounced in the first instance. according to his lawyer Pierre Ortet to Agence France-Presse.
“We are going to appeal to the Court of Cassation and it is obvious that we will go all the way to the European Court of Human Rights, in particular regarding the conditions of the transfer. We continue, we do not give up”commented François Roux, another lawyer for Mr. Tein.
On October 22, the Court of Cassation annulled Mr. Tein’s detention and ordered that this decision be reviewed by an appeal court. The court recognized a “breach of confidentiality” exchanges between lawyers and their clients, interviews can be recorded by videoconference. Another independence activist, Steve Unë, benefited from the same decision.
Charged with seven counts
Both are members of the cell for the coordination of actions on the ground (CCAT), an organization accused by the Government of being behind the riots that have devastated New Caledonia since May, causing thirteen deaths and damages estimated at more than 2,000 million euros.
Mr. Tein is charged with seven counts, including accessory to attempted murder, organized gang robbery with a weapon and participation in a criminal conspiracy with a view to preparing a crime.
Arrested on June 19, he was placed in preventive detention and immediately transferred to France on June 23 along with six other activists, aboard a specially chartered plane. Tein has always denied calling for violence.
