(Copenhagen) A Greenland judge on Wednesday extended by 28 days the detention of whale defender Paul Watson, whose extradition Japan is seeking for an action on a whaling ship in 2010, announced the NGO Sea Shepherd France which supports him.
The environmental activist’s lawyers have appealed and a hearing has been set for October 2, the NGO’s president, Lamya Essemlali, told AFP.
“He is sentenced to 28 days of additional detention, which is scandalous. We are disappointed, even if we feared this decision,” she said after the hearing.
Japan accuses Paul Watson, 73, of being jointly responsible for damage and injuries on board a Japanese whaling ship in 2010 as part of a campaign led by Sea Shepherd.
Paul Watson is accused of injuring a Japanese sailor in the face by throwing a stink bomb – butyric acid – to hinder the work of the whalers.
But Mr Watson’s counsel said the video footage proved that the crew member who Japanese authorities say was injured was not even present when the stink bomb was thrown on board.
“The judge agreed to view the Japanese footage, but refused to view ours,” Mr.me Essemlali: “But with their images we can’t see where the shot landed, unlike ours.”
It will be up to the Danish Ministry of Justice to decide whether or not to extradite Paul Watson. It told AFP on Tuesday that the examination of the official extradition request “was underway”, without giving a timetable for its decision.