The European Human Rights Court has ruled that France imposed undignified conditions on five unionists detained in New Caledonia five years ago.
The five lodged a complaint after being locked up for two days in a windowless cell which gave them each less than a square metre of space.
The court found that they suffered physically and mentally, and their dignity was violated as the European Human Rights Convention bans degrading treatment.
France has three months to appeal against the ruling
