Paul Watson no longer on Interpol’s wanted list

Canadian anti-whaling activist Paul Watson is no longer on Interpol’s Red Notice list. Japan had requested the notice in 2012, accusing Watson of sabotage during anti-whaling campaigns in the Southern Ocean.

For more than ten years, the Red Notice restricted Watson’s movements. He risked arrest and extradition if he traveled internationally.

Watson described the decision as a major relief, explaining how Japanese whalers had targeted him since his detention in Frankfurt, Germany, in May 2012.

He said the pursuit by Japan was relentless and politically motivated. With Interpol officially and permanently dismissing the case, he now considers himself free of what he called a vendetta and persecution.

Sea Shepherd welcomed Interpol’s decision, calling it a victory for marine conservation efforts. The Red Notice had been a major obstacle for Watson, preventing him from freely leading campaigns against illegal fishing.

Japan stopped its controversial whaling operations in the Southern Ocean in 2019 but continues to hunt whales in its own waters. Watson launched the Captain Paul Watson Foundation to focus on direct action against illegal fishing and whaling.

He said he feels relieved and ready to travel again to continue protecting marine life around the world.

Watson could still be arrested

Although Interpol has removed the Red Notice, Japan’s arrest warrant for Watson remains active. This means that if he travels to a country with an extradition treaty with Japan, and that country agrees to honor the warrant, he could still be arrested and sent to Japan.

But Interpol’s decision, which was based on what it called unfair charges and Denmark’s refusal to extradite him, makes it harder for Japan to use international police channels to catch him.

The case gained significant attention in 2024 when Watson was arrested in Nuuk, Greenland. His ship, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, had stopped to refuel while on its way to block Japan’s new whaling ship, the Kangei Maru.

Danish police detained him because of Japan’s arrest warrant. His arrest caused protests from environmental groups and supporters, who said it was politically motivated.

Watson spent five months in jail before Denmark decided in December 2024 not to send him to Japan, saying Japan could not promise that the time he had already served would be counted in his sentence.ng marine life around the world.