The French Polynesian health minister has suspended a senior doctor charged last week with sexually assaulting minors.
Photo: Public Domain
The former president of French Polynesia's Council of Physicians Gilles Soubiran was allowed to keep working as a doctor after he was released from detention at the weekend.
He was, however, banned from treating minors.
Dr Soubiran, who is in his late 60s, is restricted in his movement and has to wear an electronic bracelet.
The health minister has now intervened and ordered his suspension as a doctor in the public sector.
The prosecutor earlier appealed the decision to free the doctor and wants him detained while investigations continue.
The Council of Physicians met this week and after accepting Dr Soubiran's resignation, it chose Raymond Bagnis as his successor.
In a statement, the Council said in defence of professional values, any doctor undermining the honour and probity of the profession must be sanctioned.
Earlier it said that unless proven guilty, the accused is presumed innocent.
