The Ministry of Justice has received an official request for the extradition of environmental activist Paul Watson from the Japanese authorities. Watson, who is currently being held in Greenland, was arrested on July 21st based on an international arrest warrant issued by Japan in 2010. The warrant originates from an incident in Antarctica, where Watson is alleged by Japanese authorities to have assaulted whalers and prevented them from carrying out their work.

The Ministry of Justice has stated that they are now awaiting the necessary verified documents from Japan. Once these documents are received, the ministry will assess whether the case should be forwarded to the Police of Greenland (Grønlands Politi) for further investigation. If the case is forwarded, it is the responsibility of the Police of Greenland to determine whether the conditions for extradition are met according to Greenlandic law. Following this, the Ministry of Justice will make the final decision regarding the execution of the extradition.

This request comes in the wake of a long and controversial career for the 73-year-old Watson, who has been actively engaged in the fight against whaling over the years. His arrest has sparked significant international interest, with many of his supporters viewing him as an environmental hero, while others criticize his methods as being too radical. The further proceedings of the case now depend on the investigation by Greenlandic authorities and the final decision from the Ministry of Justice.