Paris appeals court has allowed Kanak independence leader Christian Tein to return to New Caledonia after nearly 18 months in detention in mainland France. Charged in connection with the deadly May 2024 riots, he remains under judicial supervision. His lawyers expressed satisfaction with the ruling.
Christian Tein, 57, president of the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), was placed in pre-trial detention in June 2024 in mainland France as part of the investigation into the deadly riots that rocked New Caledonia in May of that year. These clashes, amid a political crisis in spring 2024, resulted in several deaths and significant damage.
As head of the Cellule de coordination des actions de terrain (CCAT) at the time, Tein faces charges of organized armed theft, organized destruction, and criminal association in preparation for crimes and offenses. He has consistently denied calling for violence.
In late September 2025, the three Paris investigating judges eased his judicial control, deeming progress sufficient in hearings and confrontations. The prosecution appealed, citing investigative needs and public safety measures; public prosecutor Christine Forey noted that Tein remains a independence movement leader in a 'very fragile' New Caledonian context.
On October 16, 2025, the Paris appeals court dismissed the prosecution's appeal and allowed Tein to return to the archipelago under strict supervision. Present at the ruling, he declined to comment. His lawyer Florian Medico, alongside François Roux and Pierre Ortet, stated: 'We are satisfied and relieved by the Paris appeals court's decision, which again validates the judges' reasoning on our request and this time allows Mr. Tein to return to his land after nearly 18 months of deprivation.' This return is a milestone in the probe, though Tein remains charged.