Paul Watson: Detention Extended in Greenland
A Greenlandic court has once again extended the pre-trial detention of Canadian whale protector Paul Watson in the context of a possible extradition to Japan.
The court in Greenland decided on 2 October 2024 that Paul Watson should remain in custody until 23 October 2024, in order to ensure his presence at a ruling on extradition.
This is already the third extension of pre-trial detention for the 73-year-old founder of the environmental organisation Sea Shepherd since his arrest in the Greenlandic capital Nuuk in July. Most recently, pre-trial detention had been extended by a further 28 days on 5 September.
Watson's lawyer Julie Stange said she was not surprised by the decision. «Unfortunately, it is no surprise. The court has not changed its position», said Stange, emphasising that she had filed an appeal.
«All of this is based on a false accusation by a criminal enterprise, the Japanese whaling industry», said Watson himself upon his arrival at the courthouse in Nuuk.
Watson is known for his risky disruptive manoeuvres against whalers on the high seas. The US-Canadian was arrested in Greenland in July when his ship had docked in the port of the capital Nuuk to refuel. The basis for the arrest was an arrest warrant issued by Japan in connection with earlier protest actions against Japanese whalers.
Japan accuses Watson of having injured a Japanese crew member with a stink bomb in order to disrupt whaling activities.
Watson's lawyers assert his innocence and stated that they have video evidence showing that the crew member was not on deck when the stink bomb was thrown. The court in Nuuk reportedly refused, however, to show the video.
The Danish Ministry of Justice stated that the review of Japan's extradition request was «ongoing». The ministry did not, however, name a date for a possible decision.
«We want the Danish minister to make a decision. Right now they are simply letting him rot in prison, which is a real problem», said the head of Sea Shepherd in France, Lamya Essemlali. Essemlali also explained that Watson's prison conditions had deteriorated significantly. «They have cut off almost all his contact with the outside world. He is only allowed to speak with his wife for ten minutes per week», she emphasized.
More than 100,000 people have signed a petition demanding the release of Watson, who is a controversial figure among environmentalists due to his radicalism. France, where Watson had been living until his arrest, has called on Copenhagen not to extradite him.
Japan is, alongside Norway and Iceland, one of only three countries that still permit commercial whaling. In addition to minke, Bryde's and sei whales, fin whales have also been on Tokyo's hunting list since the beginning of August. Japan had approved the hunting of the world's second-largest marine mammals after blue whales following months of debate, despite their status as an endangered species.
