The Ministry of Justice received an official extradition request regarding Paul Watson from Japanese authorities yesterday [Wednesday]
, it stated in a message to the AFP.
Known for his bold actions against fishing trawlers, 73-year-old Paul Watson was apprehended on his ship, which had just docked in Nuuk (new window), the capital of Greenland, on July 21. He intended to refuel there in order to intercept
Japan’s new factory whaling ship in the North Pacific, as noted by the Captain Paul Watson Foundation (CPWF) in a statement at that time.
The Danish judiciary has the final say
He has been placed in custody until August 15, at which point the High Court of Greenland will make a decision regarding an extension or not of this deprivation of liberty following an appeal made by the activist and his lawyers.
In parallel, once the official documents are received by the Danish Ministry of Justice from the Japanese authorities, the case will be referred to the police of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, which will initiate investigations to determine if there is a reason for extradition under Greenlandic law.
A ship from the environmental organization Sea Shepherd fleet. (Archive photo)
Photo: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
If necessary, the case will be submitted to the Ministry of Justice for a final decision. It is also possible for the Danish Ministry to reject this extradition request outright, that is, before forwarding the case to the Greenlandic police.
Japan’s revenge
, according to his lawyer
The Japanese are personally targeting Paul Watson and this so-called offense is an excuse for revenge against a man who challenged and therefore humiliated them
, reacted Me François Zimeray, one of Mr. Watson’s lawyers, contacted by the AFP.
The challenge for the defense is now to show the Danish justice system that Japan is motivated by revenge and not justice, and that this country does not respect international standards regarding fair trials and prisons
.
Paul Watson was arrested while refueling his ship at a Greenlandic port on July 21.
Photo: Provided by Sea Shepherd France/ X
In Japan, the activist faces a prison sentence of over 15 years and a fine of up to 500,000 yen (over 4,500 CAD).
Wave of support for the sheriff of the seas
The arrest of the captain
has led to a widespread mobilization demanding his release.
His wife, Yana Watson, posted a photo of him with their two children on her Facebook account on Thursday, imploring the Queen and King of Denmark to free Paul
.
He suffers from Type 1 diabetes. Japanese prison will be deadly for him. He loves his children, his family, and we love him too and want him to come back. PLEASE.
The president of the French branch of the NGOSea Shepherd visited him in detention on Monday. Paul is fine, he is keeping his spirits up. He regrets nothing
, she reported on Tuesday.
“Captain Paul Watson was arrested by Danish authorities this morning based on the Interpol red notice, established in 2012 following Japan’s arrest warrant,” the organization Sea Shepherd France wrote on its X account. (Archive photo)
Photo: Provided by Sea Shepherd France/ X
France against extradition
The office of French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Danish authorities not to extradite Mr. Watson, who had been living in France for a year before his arrest.
A French online petition urging Mr. Macron to demand Paul Watson’s release has collected nearly 670,000 signatures in 8 days. Furthermore, an open letter was sent on July 24 by 68 French and European lawmakers to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, urging her not to extradite the environmental activist.
The renowned primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall also called for his release, stating that he was simply trying to prevent the inhumane practice of killing whales, banned by most countries for decades
.
The Japanese government […] has launched a global manhunt
against Paul Watson, estimated former French actress Brigitte Bardot.
Wanted for his hunts against whalers
The sheriff of the seas
, who founded Sea Shepherd in 1977 after a split with Greenpeace, is wanted by Japanese authorities for causing damage and injuries during two incidents in the Southern Ocean in 2010 against a Japanese whaling ship.
Japan is, along with Norway and Iceland, one of the last three countries in the world that still practice commercial whaling.
