Will the support shown by Brigitte Bardot be enough? The animal rights activist icon sent a letter to Emmanuel Macron asking him to grant French nationality to Paul Watson, detained in Greenland since his arrest on July 21.
“You have often, with generosity, granted French nationality to people who were not always worth it, this time for Paul Watson, it is of capital urgency, a question of life and death. So I beg you, do it.”, wrote the former actress and friend of Watson.
Once again, pressure is increasing from France in favor of environmental activist Paul Watson, claimed by Japan for facts linked to its fight against whaling.
Detained in Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, since his arrest on July 21, the 73-year-old American-Canadian was kept behind bars on Wednesday until November 13, awaiting Copenhagen's decision on the request for Japanese extradition.
A request for political asylum and French nationality
After requesting political asylum from France in a handwritten letter to Emmanuel Macron – a request which faces legal obstacles – Paul Watson, who resides in France, requested French nationality, Jean told AFP Tamalet, French lawyer who coordinates his defense team.
Made last Wednesday, October 23, this request “takes on its full meaning when we realize that, since 1977, it has done everything possible to protect the marine ecosystem where France has the second largest seafront in the world.”added the lawyer.
François Zimeray, also lawyer for Paul Watson and former French ambassador to Denmark, emphasizes that granting his client French nationality would constitute “a strong message” Who “can only reinforce the message that the French authorities are trying to send to the Danes”. The Minister of Ecological Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher also indicated that France would call for the release of Paul Watson to Denmark.
We will “reiterate with the President of the Republic the fact that the facts with which he is accused, from our point of view, do not motivate, do not justify detention, and indeed call for the release of Paul Watson”declared the minister.
Many supports in France
An emblematic figure in the fight against whaling, Paul Watson is, according to his defense team, being prosecuted for “obstruction of commercial activity” and accused of being co-responsible for damage and injuries during clashes with a Japanese whaler in the Antarctic Ocean in early 2010. Founder of Sea Shepherd and the foundation for the oceans that bears his name, Paul Watson was arrested on July 21 while en route with his ship, the John Paul DeJoria, to intercept a Japanese whaling factory ship.
In a rare comment on this affair, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya estimated in early October that his country's extradition request was a matter of “law enforcement” rather than whaling.
Paul Watson also has many supporters in France, from a wide range ranging from the journalist Hugo Clément to Brigitte Bardot including the singer Francis Lalanne who recorded a song in favor of the environmental activist.
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