Baku Initiative Group condemns killing of Kanak inmate in New Caledonia

The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has issued a statement condemning the death of a young Kanak inmate, known as "James," during the 2024 unrest in New Caledonia.

The statement follows an article by a French newspaper “Le Monde” headlined "A concealed death during the 2024 unrest in New Caledonia."

“According to the report, on May 13, 2024, an unrest broke out at the Camp-Est Penitentiary in Nouméa, the capital of Kanaky (New Caledonia), which houses around 600 inmates. During the incident, three guards were taken hostage, and most surveillance cameras were destroyed before law enforcement forces were deployed to suppress the situation.

Subsequent investigations suggest that "James," a young Kanak inmate, was subjected to physical violence during the law enforcement operation, and died four days later due to sustained injuries.

Despite not participating in the riot and remaining in his cell, James was reportedly beaten and then taken-along with other inmates-to a camera-free zone where he was further assaulted. Witnesses claim he was denied medical assistance, and his health visibly deteriorated over the following days. He was eventually taken to a hospital in an unconscious state but could not be saved. Although an official cause of death has not yet been released, the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Nouméa has confirmed that a judicial investigation is underway, including a forensic examination.

BIG stated that James' death brings the official death toll from the May 2024 unrest to 15.

The Camp-Est prison has long been criticized for poor detention conditions, overcrowding, and systemic violence against inmates. Limited access to healthcare, the mistreatment of young inmates, and other inhumane practices have all been documented in reports. For these reasons, comprehensive reform of the facility was included in the Bougainville Agreement.

Following James’ death, his family and legal representatives have lodged three separate civil complaints, while human rights organizations accuse state officials, particularly law enforcement, of abuse of power and physical violence. Le Monde reported that James’ death was not recorded in official statistics,” the statement mentioned.

“The Baku Initiative Group believes the French government deliberately concealed the incident for several reasons:

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," it further added.