In detention in Nuuk, Greenland, the activist and founder of the ocean protection NGO Sea Shepherd is waiting to hear whether he will be extradited to Japan. From his cell, the “captain”, who writes and watches series, denounces Japan’s vendetta that defends “their whaling”.
From his Greenlandic prison in Nuuk, Paul Watson continues his fight against whaling. The American-Canadian environmental activist, a tireless defender of cetaceans, is the subject of an extradition request from Japan. “If they think that this will stop our opposition! I only changed ships, and my current ship is ‘Prison Nuuk’,” “Captain” Watson says with a mischievous smile during an interview with AFP.
The charges against the 73-year-old “eco-warrior”, founder of the NGO Sea Shepherd and the foundation for the oceans that bears his name, date back to 2010. Japan accuses him of being responsible for damage to one of its whaling ships and injuries to its personnel, during an anti-whaling campaign led in Antarctica by his association. The “pirate of the seas”, according to his detractors, denies the charges. He was handcuffed by Danish police on the deck of his ship on July 21 as he came to refuel before continuing his route to the North Pacific, in search of the Kangei Maru, The new factory harpoon ship of the Japanese fleet.
“They want to use me as an example to show that their whaling is not to be touched.”argues Paul Watson, denouncing a vendetta. On August 15, the Greenlandic justice system decided to extend his pre-trial detention until September 5. The Nuuk court is due to rule on Wednesday, September 4, on whether or not to maintain this detention. The decision regarding the extradition request, which is eminently more political and for which no date has yet been publicly announced, is the responsibility of the Danish Ministry of Justice.
In the meantime, the man who has been living in France for almost two years remains behind bars to avoid any risk of fleeing, according to the Nuuk prosecutor’s office. In 2012, while under an international arrest warrant issued by Costa Rica (since withdrawn), then by Japan, he had hastily fled his house arrest in Frankfurt, Germany, for fear of being extradited to Japan. He had managed to reach the North Sea, wearing a wig and a beardless face, before slipping away. According to the activist, his detention in Nuuk should be extended again this week.
Copenhagen remains silent
From his cell in the penitentiary, a modern gray building set against the rocks, he can admire whales and icebergs. “It’s almost like I’m at the front of my boat”he whispers to AFP. The activist seems unshakeable, except when he thinks about the separation from his children, aged 3 and almost 8. He reads a lot, has just devoured an anthology on popes, watches police series, but above all does what he “knows how to do best: write.” The septuagenarian confides his texts to Lamya Essemlali, the president of Sea Shepherd France, who visits him almost daily.
Two petitions calling for Watson’s release were launched this summer. One, addressed to Emmanuel Macron, has more than 760,000 signatures, while the other, addressed to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, has nearly 175,000. In Greenland, the prisoners are sympathetic, despite his opposition to the seal hunt, which is traditional on the Arctic island. “I get a lot of letters, many of them from children.rejoices this self-proclaimed misanthrope. They are extremely passionate about the world, and if we can reach children, I think things can change.”
On the political level, Paris has asked Copenhagen not to extradite him but the Danish government remains silent. “Denmark is in a very difficult situation, they cannot extradite me on the one hand because they are strong defenders of human rights”believes the activist, for whom the Japanese judicial system is “medieval”. On the other hand, “I did nothing and even if I had done something, the penalty would be 1,500 crowns (about 200 euros), not even a prison sentence, while Japan wants to sentence me to 15 years”he assures.
Tightrope walker
Today, two ships remain stationed in each hemisphere, ready to intervene if one of the whaling powers takes it over – along with Japan, Norway and Iceland are the only countries to allow whaling. “In 1974, my goal was to eradicate whaling and I hope to do it before I die”he says. Besides, he also assures us, he and his fellow fighters are only ensuring that marine sanctuaries are respected. “I interfere in an aggressive, non-violent manner”explains the activist with rebellious white hair. For him, there is no possible contradiction between these terms: “That means I will try to take the knife from the person who is trying to kill a whale, but I will not hurt him.” And to assume playing the tightrope walker between violence and pacifism: “I don’t cross [cette ligne ndlr]I have never hurt anyone.”
