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December 18, 2024

Ocean Defender Paul Watson Freed from Prison as Denmark Rejects Japan's Extradition Bid
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In Greenland, the longtime anti-whaling and environmental activist Paul
Watson has been released from a Danish-run jail after authorities
rejected a request by Japan to extradite him. Watson was arrested in
July as his ship docked in Greenland before setting off to the North
Pacific on a mission to intercept a Japanese whaling vessel. Watson
co-founded Greenpeace and is the founder of the Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society, which takes nonviolent direct action to protect
the worlds' oceans and marine life. Paul Watson spoke to reporters from
Greenland's capital Nuuk after his release on Tuesday.

Paul Watson: "I'm very thankful that the president and the former prime
minister of France have been extremely helpful. The president of Brazil
has been - you know, intervened. Bernie Sanders, my senator, has
actually been very helpful. The U.S. Embassy has been very, very helpful
also. But really, the public pressure from all over the world - you
know, I've received over 4,000 letters while I've been in prison - has
been really overwhelming."

If extradited to Japan, Watson faced a possible sentence of up to 15
years in prison.


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