Victory! Paul Watson is Free!
Paul Watson is free! Earlier today Denmark made the historic and humane decision to reject Japan's request for extradition of lifelong animal activist and anti-whaling hero Captain Paul Watson.
Captain Watson has spent the past five months in prison in Greenland due to an international warrant issued by Japan. The charges stemmed from a 2010 incident in which Japan falsely accused him of causing damage, obstructing business, and injuring a crew member of a whaling ship. These claims, made without evidence, were a clear attempt to deflect attention from Japan's unlawful killing of endangered whales.
Today, thanks to the combined efforts of the Species Unite community and the international movement that rallied behind Captain Watson, true justice has been served, and this great man is free to return home to his young children and spend the holidays with his family where he belongs.
Together we wrote over 6,000 letters to the Danish Minister for Justice, Peter Hummelgaard, urging him to do the right thing and set Paul Watson free, and today we know that our efforts paid off!
Thank you so much to everyone who stood on the side of justice and used your voice to help ensure the freedom of this man who has dedicated so much of himself to the cause of animal and environmental protection.
What You Fought Against
Every year, over 1,000 whales are violently hunted and killed, even though many of the species at risk from whaling are endangered. Although the majority of the world’s nations have outlawed this cruel and unnecessary industry, a few bad apples continue to value profit over conservation and compassion.
The three countries that still participate in this violent practice are Norway, Japan, and Iceland.
Norwegian, Japanese, and Icelandic whalers use imprecise explosive-tipped harpoons to slaughter these majestic ocean mammals, who frequently die slowly from badly aimed blows over a period of hours. Pregnant female whales are also often the victims of this vicious slaughter.
One man who has dedicated his life to seeking justice for these beautiful ocean animals, Captain Paul Watson, is now in danger of being permanently silenced. The government of Japan resorted to underhanded tactics to have Captain Watson arrested for using nonviolent interventions to try and save whales from slaughter by Japanese whalers in the North Pacific.
Captain Watson was arrested in Greenland due to a confidential international warrant issued by Japan. He faced possible extradition to Japan, where he could have been sentenced to 15 years in prison. This was a politically motivated act at a time when Japan is looking to expand its unethical whale hunting operations.
Japan uses legal loopholes, claiming they kill whales for “scientific research” to get away with slaughtering endangered species, and now they are using similar devious tactics to punish an environmental hero for exposing their cruelty and corruption.
Captain Paul Watson was one of the original founders of Greenpeace, the founder and former head of the marine conservation and anti-poaching organization Sea Shepherd, and a lifelong environmental activist. He is also a loving husband and the father of two young children who should not grow up without their dad.
Species Unite called on the Danish Minister for Justice, Peter Hummelgaard, to do the right thing and release Captain Paul Watson. On December 17th, 2024 our insistence paid off when Denmark made the compassionate choice to set this hero for marine life free!