New Caledonia pro-independence leader charged after deadly riots

A pro-independence leader in New Caledonia, a French Pacific territory, has been charged following deadly riots last month.

Christian Tein, head of the group CCAT (Field Action Coordination Cell), was arrested on Wednesday along with several others, Caliber.Az reports, adding that CCAT is accused of organizing protests that escalated into violence.

The riots, which erupted in mid-May, resulted in the deaths of nine people, including two police officers, and left hundreds wounded. The unrest involved looting and arson, plunging the archipelago into chaos.

The violence was triggered by controversial electoral reforms proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron. The reforms aimed to extend voting rights to individuals who had resided in the archipelago for at least ten years, sparking outrage among some members of the indigenous Kanak community.