Riccardo Liguori The anti-whaling activist and founder of Sea Shepherd remains in prison in Greenland while Denmark decides whether to extradite him to Japan. There is growing concern for his health and the risk of an unfair trial
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On December 2, Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, will turn 74. He will celebrate his birthday in a cell in Nuuk, Greenland, where he has been held for the past four months. A Greenlandic court – part of Denmark’s autonomous territory – recently extended his detention for the fifth time while deliberating his possible extradition to Japan. A decision which seems to be endlessly delayed, while his lawyers keep battling for his release.
“We are disappointed, but I must say it’s not entirely surprising, given the previous hearings,” said Watson’s lawyer, Julie Stage. “We do not believe the detention is proportionate, even if the man were guilty of the alleged crimes.” The defense has filed another appeal against this latest extension, this time with Greenland’s Supreme Court.
Watson was arrested last July in Greenland’s capital on a 2012 Japanese warrant. He is accused of damaging a whaling vessel and injuring a crew member during a 2010 protest against whaling in Antarctica.
Operation eternal defiance: a never-ending legal battle
Since then, Watson has been stuck in a judicial limbo. The Danish Ministry of Justice has not yet reached a decision regarding an extradition request from Japan. Meanwhile, prosecutor Mariam Khalil maintained that if an extradition was not approved, Watson would be released “as soon as possible”.
However, such reassurances fall quite flat with the activist, given the repeated delays.
“The longer it drags on, the more it feels like an injustice,” said Lamya Essemlali, head of Sea Shepherd France. “In ten days, it will have been four months since his detention began, which equals the maximum sentence he would have faced had he been convicted.”
Risk of unfair trial in Japan
If Denmark approves the extradition request, Watson would be at risk of an unfair trial in Japan.
Supporters believe the Japanese government is seeking revenge against Watson for his whaling activism. They fear extradition could translate to life in prison in Japan.
Watson’s health ails
His health is said to have deteriorated since he was taken into custody. “It’s been a really distressing few months,” shared Haans Siver, who serves as the director of the Captain Paul Watson Foundation. “He’s 72 years old, missing his kids’ growths, their birthdays, and time with his wife. His visitation and phone rights have been reduced, which has taken a toll on his mental health, without question.”
A life dedicated to ocean defense
Paul Watson is an iconic figure in the environmental movement. Co-founder of Greenpeace, founder of Sea Shepherd, he is known for his bold tactics against whaling and illegal fishing. Operating along the thin line between legality and illegality, his actions stir as much criticism as admiration. Irrespective of this fact, his impact on ocean protection is irrefutable.
A rising cry for freedom
As Watson sits in this Greenlandic cell waiting to learn his fate, international calls for his release grow louder. Prominent figures, including renowned British conservationist Jane Goodall, have urged French President Emmanuel Macron to grant him political asylum. Watson has lived in France since 2023, applying for French citizenship last month.
