BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. The Baku Initiative Group has released a statement denouncing the murder of a young Kanak prisoner, referred to as 'James,' who was apprehended during the 2024 riots in New Caledonia, Trend reports.
"On September 3, the French Le Monde newspaper published an article titled 'A hidden death during the riots in New Caledonia in 2024.' The article states that on May 13, 2024, a riot broke out at the Camp-Est Penitentiary in Noumea, the capital of Kanak (New Caledonia). During the incident, three guards were taken hostage by the prisoners in this facility, where about 600 prisoners are held, and most of the surveillance cameras were disabled. Law enforcement officers were deployed to the area to prevent the situation from getting out of control.
The findings of the inquiry indicate that amidst the incidents
that transpired, a juvenile detainee of Kanak descent, referred to
by the alias 'James,' experienced corporeal aggression during the
operational engagement of law enforcement entities and succumbed
four days subsequently due to the ramifications of his injuries.
Based on the data acquired, it has been established that James was
not engaged in the riotous activities, as he remained in his
designated cell throughout the incident. persisted.
Based on firsthand testimonies, during the operational engagement
of law enforcement entities, James experienced physical assault,
subsequently being transported alongside other detainees to a
location devoid of surveillance apparatus, where he endured
corporeal aggression. Furthermore, James and other incarcerated
individuals sustaining injuries were deprived of requisite medical
interventions.
Per the incarcerated individuals, the vocal output of James had
diminished markedly in the preceding days, ultimately culminating
in a total cessation. The individual was transported to the medical
facility in a state of unresponsiveness; however, notwithstanding
the array of therapeutic measures administered, the prognosis
remained unfavorable, and resuscitation efforts were ultimately
unsuccessful. While a formal communiqué has yet to be disseminated
elucidating the precise etiology of demise, the Nouméa Public
Prosecutor's Office has affirmed the initiation of a comprehensive
inquiry into the occurrence. A comprehensive forensic analysis and
ancillary investigative procedures are presently in progress.
In light of James's demise, the confirmed tally of individuals who
perished due to the occurrences in May 2024 has escalated to
15.
Camp-Est correctional facility has long been characterized by
its punitive detention environment, chronic overcrowding, and
systemic maltreatment of inmates. has emerged as a focal point of
substantial societal and judicial scrutiny concerning instances of
aggression. Insufficient accessibility to healthcare provisions,
egregious treatment of juvenile detainees specifically, and
incidents of aggression constitute the primary challenges faced by
the institution. Specifically, the core reconfiguration of the
Camp-Est correctional facility and the alignment of operational
conditions with humane standards were incorporated into the
principal stipulations of the Boujival accord.
Three distinct civil litigations have been initiated by the family
and legal counsel of James pertaining to the circumstances
surrounding his demise. Human rights advocates allege that
governmental operatives, specifically those within law enforcement
jurisdictions, have overstepped their authoritative boundaries and
employed corporeal force in relation to the event in question. Per
data disseminated by Le Monde, the demise of James is not cataloged
within the official statistical frameworks.
The Baku Initiative Group elucidates the French government's
obfuscation surrounding this fatality through a multitude of
contributing variables. Initially, it is imperative to note that
the demise transpired within the confines of the Camp-Est
correctional facility, rather than as a direct consequence of urban
civil unrest. This resulted in the event being classified as an
extralegal and informal fatality.
Secondly, the current standing of the judicial inquiry regarding
the causative factors of the demise and the outcomes of the
forensic analysis remain undisclosed. This artificially extends the
timeline for adjudicating the culpability of the offenders.
Thirdly, due to the obliteration of video surveillance apparatus
within the correctional facility amidst the civil unrest, the
visual corroboration of the occurrence was rendered null. This
subsequently resulted in a temporal setback in the investigative
process.
Consequently, the unfortunate demise of James was not encapsulated
within the official metrics and remained obscured from public
awareness," the statement said.
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