Baku Initiative Group condemns cover-up of Kanak inmate’s death in New Caledonia

The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has denounced the death of a young Kanak inmate, known as “James,” during the 2024 unrest in New Caledonia, accusing French authorities of concealing the incident.

The statement follows an investigation by a French newspaper, which on September 3 published an article titled “A concealed death during the 2024 unrest in New Caledonia,” Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

According to the report, violence erupted on May 13, 2024, at the Camp-Est Penitentiary in Nouméa, the capital of Kanaky (New Caledonia). The facility, which holds about 600 inmates, saw three guards taken hostage and much of its surveillance system destroyed before law enforcement moved in to restore order.

Witness accounts and subsequent investigations suggest James, who did not take part in the riot and remained inside his cell, was beaten by officers. He was allegedly moved with other inmates to a part of the prison not covered by cameras, where he was further assaulted.

Despite visible injuries, James was reportedly denied medical treatment. His condition deteriorated over several days, and although he was eventually taken to the hospital unconscious, he died four days later. The Nouméa Public Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that a judicial inquiry, including a forensic examination, is underway, but the official cause of death has not yet been made public.

BIG noted that his death increases the official toll from the May 2024 unrest to 15.

The Camp-Est facility has long been criticised for overcrowding, violence, inadequate medical care, and mistreatment of young detainees. Calls for comprehensive reform were included in the Bougainville Agreement.

James’s family and lawyers have lodged three separate civil complaints, while human rights groups accuse state officials, particularly law enforcement, of abuse of power and brutality. Le Monde reported that his death was not recorded in official statistics.

In its statement, BIG argued that French authorities deliberately kept the case out of public view:

“First, his death occurred in Camp-Est prison, not directly during the street riots. This created the basis for assessing the incident as a case of unregistered and unofficial death. Second, the status of the judicial investigation into the cause of death and the results of the examination have not been made public. This artificially prolongs the process of bringing the perpetrators to justice. Third, as a result of the destruction of the video surveillance cameras in the prison during the riots, visual evidence of the incident was destroyed. This also led to a delay in the investigation. As a result, James’ tragic death was not reflected in official statistics and was hidden from the public.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev