The Greenland court said Paul Watson, a well-known environmental activist detained in the Danish region, will remain in custody while Japan seeks his extradition over his anti-whaling motion.
In a statement, the police said the Greenlandic court will keep Paul “in detention until 5 September 2024 to ensure his presence at the time of the decision on extradition.”
Japan requested his extradition on July 31 to the Danish Ministry of Justice, but Watson’s legal team, founder of the Sea Shepherd organization and the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, said his detention was excessive and demanded the activist’s release.
Following the court’s decision, the activist’s defence filed an appeal. Watson, 73, said his continued detention increased pressure on Japan to end “its illegal whaling activities”.
The whale defender’s lawyers argued that the arrest warrant, which was issued on July 21 of this year, was based on “misleading” information, presenting videos during the hearing that supported their position.
Lamya Essemlali, president of Sea Shepherd in France, said that “the court refused to look at the video evidence of the Whales Wars series [que seguía las actividades de Sea Shepherd] which showed that the Japanese had fabricated evidence.” He finally stressed that if the environmentalist “is sent to Japan, he will not come out alive.”
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2024-08-21 04:43:33