Miljøactivist Paul Watson Faces Possible Extradition to Japan

On August 15, the Sermersooq District Court in Nuuk, Greenland, will make a ruling on whether prominent environmental activist Paul Watson should be extradited to Japan. Watson was arrested last Sunday at the harbor in Nuuk upon arriving aboard the ship “John Paul Dejoria.” The Greenland Police received assistance from Danish police forces during the arrest, but further details regarding the number of officers involved and their affiliations have not been disclosed.

Watson, who holds both Canadian and American citizenship, has been wanted by Japanese authorities since 2010. The arrest warrant was issued due to an incident in Antarctica, where Japanese officials allege he interfered with their whaling operations and attacked crew members. Following his arrest, Watson has been held in custody until the court hearing in August, a decision upheld by the Greenland High Court despite his attempts to have it overturned.

The Danish Ministry of Justice has the final decision-making authority regarding the extradition. Watson’s defense attorneys argue that extradition to Japan would violate the European Convention on Human Rights, citing Japan’s failure to adhere to international human rights standards.

Paul Watson has a long history in environmental activism. He co-founded Greenpeace in the 1970s, but the organization eventually distanced itself from him due to differing methods. In recent years, Watson has been active with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and most recently with his own organization, the Captain Paul Watson Foundation.