In Nouméa, New Caledonia, six Kanak independence activists are asking the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR) to examine the role of four former government members in their transfer to mainland France in June 2024. The complaint targets Gabriel Attal, Gérald Darmanin, Éric Dupond-Moretti and Sébastien Lecornu; it does not mean that an investigation has been opened nor that the people targeted are being prosecuted.
A complaint related to the June 2024 transfers
Christian Tein, Frédérique Muliava, Dimitri Qenegei, Guillaume Vama, Erwan Waetheane and Brenda Wanabo were transferred to mainland France after being placed in pre-trial detention as part of the investigation into the violence that broke out in New Caledonia in May 2024. The four officials mentioned were then respectively holding the positions of Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, Minister of Justice and Minister of the Armed Forces.
According to franceinfo, the complaint was filed on August 31 and made public on September 9, 2026. The activists allege that their removal from the country was decided for political reasons, before the decisions of the investigating magistrates and the judge of freedoms and detention. They are seeking prosecution for infringement of individual liberty, aggravated abuse of authority, and conspiracy to commit these offenses. These charges and the alleged facts are contained in their complaint; they do not constitute legal arguments. Le Monde and Mediapart also reported the filing of this complaint. ( lemonde.fr )
A complaint does not automatically trigger an investigation
The Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR) has jurisdiction over crimes and offenses allegedly committed by members of the government in the exercise of their duties. The complaint must first be examined by its petitions committee, which decides on the appropriate action; its filing therefore does not mean that an investigation has been opened or that a trial will take place. The organic law governing the Court stipulates this preliminary step. ( legifrance.gouv.fr )
As of September 28, 2026, the available information does not allow for an assessment of whether the commission has already issued a decision on this complaint. The activists’ lawyers state that they want the circumstances of the transfer examined; the next steps will depend on the commission’s response.
A separate case from the dismissal of charges against the activists
This action comes after a general dismissal order issued on June 5, 2026, by Parisian investigating judges in favor of activists from the Field Action Coordination Unit (CCAT), including Christian Tein. The Paris public prosecutor’s office has appealed this decision, according to information published by Le Monde. The complaint against the former ministers concerns the conditions of the transfer and the alleged government decisions: this is a separate legal proceeding. ( mediapart.fr )
For the inhabitants of the archipelago, this new step alone does not alter the legal situation of the activists or the decisions rendered in the riots case. It opens a further stage, the outcome of which will depend on the review by the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR).
Source: franceinfo – Status of New Caledonia
Original article: See the original source
