New Caledonia's court of appeal has rejected a request by Beijing to extradite a 64-year-old Chinese man wanted for allegedly running a pyramid scheme.
Photo: ikiryo/123RF
Ning Shisheng, who has lived in Australia since 2010, was arrested on an Interpol warrant in April, when the cruise he was on stopped on the Isle of Pines.
Judicial authorities in Noumea, who examined Beijing's extradition request, were in favour of complying with it, but his lawyer appealed, with Mr Ning saying he feared being tortured.
The appeal court has now ruled in his favour, citing health reasons.
He was released from jail in July and had to report weekly until today's ruling of the court, which rejected the extradition request.
Mr Ning is now expected to return to Australia.
Earlier, his lawyer noted that New Zealand this year rejected a Chinese extradition request, citing human rights risks.
An extradition to China from New Caledonia could only have gone ahead if a decree to that effect had been signed by the French prime minister.