Seven activists advocating for New Caledonia's independence, accused of instigating last month’s riots, have been transported to mainland France for pre-trial detention, as stated by the local prosecutor.

“This transfer was executed overnight via a specially chartered aircraft,” announced Yves Dupas, the public prosecutor in Noumea, the territory's capital, on Sunday.

The transfer, Dupas noted, was necessary “due to the sensitive nature of the case, ensuring investigations proceed without external influences or pressure.”

Among those detained is Christian Tein, the leader of the pro-independence Field Action Coordination Cell (CCAT). He was detained and charged on Saturday in connection with recent violence resulting in nine fatalities, including two police officers.

The violent unrest led to hundreds of injuries and caused an estimated $1.6 billion in damages due to disputes over controversial voting reforms.

Charges not announced

Authorities have yet to specify the exact charges against Tein. However, Dupas mentioned that his investigation encompasses armed robbery and complicity in murder or attempted murder, as reported by French daily Le Monde.

Tein’s attorney, Pierre Ortent, expressed astonishment at his client being sent to France, accusing the judiciary of “succumbing to political pressures.”

“It was completely unexpected that they would be sent to mainland France. Such actions are extremely rare in New Caledonia,” Ortent remarked.

Stephane Bonomo, lawyer for another detainee, Gilles Joredie, criticized the prosecutors for creating “martyrs for the independence movement,” according to Le Monde.

Brenda Wanabo, CCAT’s communications chief, was also among those transferred, a distance of almost 17,000 kilometers (10,563 miles), to France, Le Monde added.

Riots erupted in New Caledonia in May in response to an electoral reform that would have allowed long-term residents to vote in local elections. Paris responded by deploying troops to the territory.

The Indigenous Kanak population feared that this reform would diminish their electoral power, jeopardizing chances of future independence.

France’s government has consistently accused Tein’s CCAT of inciting the violence, which the organization has denied.