Held in Greenland
Denmark will not extradite Paul Watson to Japan
The environmental activist is free after five months of detention. Denmark refuses the extradition requested by Japan.
Anti-hunting campaigner Paul Watson arrives at a court hearing in Nuuk, Greenland.
AFP/ Leiff Josefsen
Denmark decided on Tuesday not to extradite environmental activist and whale defender Paul Watson to Japan, who will be released, his lawyer told AFP.
“He is free, the Ministry of Justice has just informed us that it has refused the extradition request,” confirmed his lawyer, Miss Julie Stage, stating that Mr Watson could be jailed Leaving Nuuk in Greenland where he was before. – trial detention for almost five months.
“Greenland police informed Paul Watson and his lawyer today about the decision of the Ministry of Justice in the extradition case. Paul Watson was then released at 8:46 local time (10:46 GMT), police wrote in a statement.
The 74-year-old American-Canadian was arrested in Nuuk on July 21 following the revival of a request issued by Japan in 2012 through an Interpol red notice. He was then on his way with his ship the John Paul DeJoria to intercept a new Japanese whaling factory ship.
Japanese authorities accused him of being responsible for damage and injuries on board a Japanese whaling ship in 2010 as part of a campaign led by Sea Shepherd.
Reason for rejection
Denmark based its refusal on “the entire duration of Paul Franklin Watson’s detention after his arrest on July 21, 2024 and until a possible extradition order can be executed, and (on) that the acts for which extradition is sought have go back more than 14 years, as well as the nature of the actions in general,” according to the Danish decision consulted by the AFP.
“Japan tried a man whose only crime was to deny the illegality of the industrial crowd disguised as scientific research,” answered AFP another one of its lawyers, Mise François Zimeray.
Paul Watson “will be able to resume his activism for respect for nature, which is also a fight for humanity and justice,” he said. “We are proud to lead this legal and political fight alongside his family.”
Drawing attention to whales
Paul Watson told AFP on Tuesday that his detention in Greenland had drawn “attention to the illegality” of whaling in Japan.
“My capture drew international attention to Japan’s ongoing whaling operations,” he said after being released following Denmark’s decision not to extradite his capture. “These five months were an extension of the campaign” to fight the whales, he said.
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