Environmentalist and anti-whaling campaigner Captain Paul Watson (73) will remain in detention in Greenland till September 5, a local court decided on Thursday. The government will then decide whether he will be extradited to Japan.
Watson is the co-founder of marine conservation organizations Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace. For the last few years, he has been active in the direct-action ocean conservation movement Captain Paul Watson Foundation (CPWF).
Watson was arrested on July 21, when his ship docked at the port of Nuuk in Greenland. With 25 crew members, he was on his way to save whales from being killed by a new Japanese whaling ship.
His arrest is based on an international warrant issued by Japan over ten years ago.
Activists, politicians, and celebrities have called for his release. French President Emmanuel Macron and actor Pierce Brosnan have shown their support. Protests have been held in cities all over the world.
Background on Paul Watson’s Arrest
The charges against Watson go back to 2010. He allegedly boarded a Japanese whaling ship without permission to stop it from killing whales in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Nuuk court decided that Watson will stay in detention for at least three more weeks, while the government considers Japan’s request to extradite him.
Watson has appealed this decision and continues to deny the charges against him. His supporters are worried what could happen if he is sent to Japan, where he could face severe punishment.
Watson has played a significant role in saving thousands of whales. Sea Shepherd’s campaigns have been directly responsible for saving 6,000 whales from being killed by Japanese whalers.
Only three countries in the world still hunt and kill whales in 2024: Norway, Iceland, and Japan.
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