Outcry in France as Greenland keeps anti-whaling crusader Paul Watson in jail
Activists in France have vowed to stay mobilised behind Canadian-American environmental activist Paul Watson after a Greenland court ruled Wednesday to keep him in custody. The marine conservationist will remain detained pending a decision on his extradition to Japan, where he is wanted over a clash with whalers.
A court in Nuuk ruled on Wednesday that Watson must remain in detention in Greenland until 2 October, while Denmark’s justice ministry considers Japan's request for his extradition.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, which doesn't have an extradition treaty with Japan.
Watson, the founder and former head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and the Captain Paul Watson Foundation (CPWF), has become notorious for his high-seas confrontations with whaling vessels. He is a well-known figure in France, where he has lived on and off for several years.
He was arrested under an Interpol "red notice" in Nuuk on 21 July when his ship docked to refuel on its way to “intercept” a new Japanese whaling factory vessel in the North Pacific.
Japan issued a warrant for his arrest in 2012 over an encounter with a Japanese whaling research ship two years earlier.
Accused of causing damage to the ship and injuring a Japanese crew member with a stink bomb intended to disrupt the whalers’ activities, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
The decision to extend his custody for another month therefore came as little surprise.
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