A court docket in Greenland has dominated that anti-whaling activist Paul Watson should stay in custody pending a call to extradite him to Japan.
The veteran campaigner, who has featured within the actuality tv present “Whale Wars”, was apprehended by police in July as his ship docked in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk.
They had been appearing on a 2012 Japanese warrant which accuses him of inflicting injury to a Japanese whaling ship, obstructing enterprise and injuring a crew member throughout an encounter in Antarctic waters in February 2010.
Officers in Japan argue that whaling and consuming whale meat is a part of the nation’s tradition and lifestyle. Nevertheless, it has been closely criticised by conservation teams.
Wearing denims and a white shirt, Mr Watson sat beside his defence legal professionals and listened to proceedings by way of an interpreter as a number of of his supporters appeared on.
“That is about revenge for a tv present that extraordinarily embarrassed Japan within the eyes of the world,” he advised the small courtroom.
“What occurred within the Southern Ocean is documented by a whole lot of hours of video,” Mr Watson mentioned.
“I feel a assessment of all of the video and of all of the documentation will exonerate me from the accusations.”
Nevertheless the prosecution argued that the defendant was a flight threat, and the choose concluded he ought to stay in custody till 2 October.
Paul Watson is the previous head of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which he left in 2022 to arrange the Captain Paul Watson Basis.
He was additionally a founding member of Greenpeace, however they parted methods in 1977, amid disagreements over his radical techniques.
The 73-year previous Canadian-American campaigner has been a controversial determine identified for confrontations with whaling vessels at sea.
Mr Watson’s vessel, referred to as the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, had been heading to the North Pacific with a crew of 26 volunteers on board, in a bid to intercept a brand new Japanese whaling ship when it docked to refuel in Nuuk on 21 July.
He was arrested and led away in handcuffs, and has been held on the native jail for the final seven weeks.
His defence group have appealed towards the choice to maintain him in custody earlier than Greenland’s Excessive Courtroom.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark and, though the court docket in Nuuk is overseeing the custody hearings, the choice about Mr Watson’s extradition lies with Danish authorities in Copenhagen.
Final month, Japan requested Denmark at hand Paul Watson over, regardless that there isn’t any extradition treaty between the 2 nations.
Police in Nuuk are finishing up an investigation earlier than handing their findings to Denmark’s ministry of justice and a call could possibly be anticipated inside the subsequent few weeks.
“It’s a severe case, and it has to have some severe consideration. It has a deep impression on Mr Watson if we get to the purpose that he must be extradited. So I’ll take the time wanted to do it correctly,” Greenland chief prosecutor Mariam Khalil advised the BBC.
On the defence’s request, the choose granted permission for a video clip to be performed, which appeared to point out a zodiac-type speedboat crusing alongside a Japanese ship and firing a stink bomb.
Nevertheless, Mr Watson’s legal professionals say a second video clip, which was not proven, proves no-one was on deck on the time.
“We’ve video footage of a stink bomb being shot on to the ship, and the place that the Japanese declare the sailor ought to be in, he merely is not there,” Jonas Christoffersen advised BBC.
“There’s no evidential foundation for the allegation that someone bought bought injured.”
Lyon-based worldwide police physique Interpol has confirmed the existence of an impressive pink discover for the arrest of Mr Watson.
In 2012, Paul Watson was additionally detained in Germany, however left the nation after studying that he was looked for extradition by Japan.
Masashi Mizobuchi, assistant press secretary for the Japanese ministry of overseas affairs, advised the BBC that Japan had not but acquired any response from the Danish authorities.
“We’ll proceed to take acceptable measures, together with mandatory outreach to the related nations and organisations,” Mr Mizobuchi mentioned.
Japan withdrew from the Worldwide Whaling Fee and resumed industrial whaling in 2019, after a 30-year hiatus. Nevertheless, it had continued whaling for what it mentioned had been analysis functions.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s workplace has requested Denmark to not extradite Paul Watson, and there was vocal help from legendary actress turned animals rights activist Brigitte Bardot.
In the meantime a petition calling for Mr Watson’s launch has surpassed 120,000 signatures.
