Facebook post leads to detention of New Caledonian man

NEW CALEDONIA — A man in New Caledonia has been detained for a post on Facebook and risks being imprisoned.

According to the prosecutor, the 43-year-old individual posted a message related to the November referendum on independence from France which could be classified as hate speech.

The Nouvelles Caledoniennes reported that the man claimed to have reacted to threats and insults against him on social media.

The prosecutor said the post was such that the author should be tried for incitement, which is punishable with up to one year in prison.