Paul Watson is a 75-year-old activist who has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in Japan, which is practically life imprisonment at his age. Tokyo has been hunting him for years as Watson and his men interfere with whale ships. When he was arrested in Greenland less than half a year ago, he was at risk of extradition to Japan. Many famous people participated in his defense.
– It is good to be released after five months. It's good to know I'm not going to be handed over to the Japanese, said activist Paul Watson.
For his anti-whaling activities, he was arrested under the so-called Interpol red notice. He spent his birthday and the last few months in jail in Greenland, with the Danish justice system extending his pretrial detention.
In Japan, he faces 15 years in prison
Anonymous people around the world, as well as famous singers and prominent actors, have appealed to Paul Watson, an American-Canadian marine life activist, for his release.
– Imagine if every nation on this planet could raise just one activist with as much courage and dedication as Paul Watson. Now imagine our world without it, said actor and activist Martin Sheen.
It worked in the end. Watson was unexpectedly released from prison on Tuesday. – I am relieved, especially because thanks to this I can go home before Christmas, – explained Paul Watson.
READ ALSO: An activist was arrested for stopping whaling in Greenland
The naturalist was arrested in July when his boat docked in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. Police were acting on a 2012 Japanese arrest warrant. According to Tokyo authorities, Captain Watson is responsible for illegally boarding a Japanese whaling ship in 2010. In Japan, he faces 15 years in prison.
Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said, “Paul Watson has been arrested as an accomplice in an incident involving disruption of business, damage to property and injury to crew members.”
“My crime was being sensitive.”
Denmark's Ministry of Justice has said it will not grant Japan's extradition request, citing the “substantial circumstances” of the incident and the incident that occurred 14 years ago.
– I missed my youngest son's third birthday and my eldest son's eighth birthday. And for what reason? I didn't do anything wrong. My crime was being sensitive, said Paul Watson.
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The 74-year-old captain claims that this action by Japan is revenge for a TV program with his participation, which was intended to embarrass Japan in front of the world. Hunting and eating whale meat is heavily criticized by conservation groups, but Japanese officials say it is part of the country's culture and way of life.
– The thought of eating whale meat brings back memories of my childhood. In other countries they ate beef, but in our country they ate whale, said Japanese resident Kunitake Suzuki.
Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Convention and resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after a 30-year hiatus, although it continued to hunt whales for research purposes.
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Main photo source: Reuters
