Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson kept in Greenland jail

A tribunal successful Greenland has ruled that anti-whaling activistic Paul Watson indispensable stay successful custody pending a determination to extradite him to Japan.

The seasoned campaigner, who has featured successful the world tv amusement “Whale Wars”, was apprehended by constabulary successful July arsenic his vessel docked successful Greenland’s capital, Nuuk.

They were acting connected a 2012 Japanese warrant which accuses him of causing harm to a Japanese whaling ship, obstructing concern and injuring a unit subordinate during an brushwood successful Antarctic waters successful February 2010.

Officials successful Japan reason that whaling and eating whale nutrient is portion of the country’s civilization and mode of life. However, it has been heavy criticised by conservation groups.

Dressed successful jeans and a achromatic shirt, Mr Watson sat beside his defence lawyers and listened to proceedings done an interpreter arsenic respective of his supporters looked on.

“This is astir revenge for a tv amusement that highly embarrassed Japan successful the eyes of the world,” helium told the tiny courtroom.

“What happened successful the Southern Ocean is documented by hundreds of hours of video,” Mr Watson said.

“I deliberation a reappraisal of each the video and of each the documentation volition exonerate maine from the accusations.”

However the prosecution argued that the suspect was a formation risk, and the justice concluded helium should stay successful custody until 2 October.

Paul Watson is the erstwhile caput of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which helium near successful 2022 to acceptable up the Captain Paul Watson Foundation.

He was besides a founding subordinate of Greenpeace, but they parted ways successful 1977, amid disagreements implicit his extremist tactics.

The 73-year aged Canadian-American campaigner has been a arguable fig known for confrontations with whaling vessels astatine sea.

Mr Watson’s vessel, called the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, had been heading to the North Pacific with a unit of 26 volunteers connected board, successful a bid to intercept a caller Japanese whaling vessel erstwhile it docked to refuel successful Nuuk connected 21 July.

He was arrested and led distant successful handcuffs, and has been held astatine the section situation for the past 7 weeks.

His defence squad person appealed against the determination to support him successful custody earlier Greenland’s High Court.

Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark and, though the tribunal successful Nuuk is overseeing the custody hearings, the determination astir Mr Watson’s extradition lies with Danish authorities successful Copenhagen.

Last month, Japan asked Denmark to manus Paul Watson over, adjacent though determination is nary extradition pact betwixt the 2 countries.

Police successful Nuuk are carrying retired an probe earlier handing their findings to Denmark’s ministry of justness and a determination could beryllium expected wrong the adjacent fewer weeks.

“It’s a superior case, and it has to person immoderate superior consideration. It has a heavy interaction connected Mr Watson if we get to the constituent that helium has to beryllium extradited. So I volition instrumentality the clip needed to bash it properly,” Greenland main authoritative Mariam Khalil told the BBC.

At the defence’s request, the justice granted support for a video clip to beryllium played, which appeared to amusement a zodiac-type speedboat sailing alongside a Japanese vessel and firing a stink bomb.

However, Mr Watson's lawyers accidental a 2nd video clip, which was not shown, proves no-one was connected platform astatine the time.

“We person video footage of a stink weaponry being changeable connected to the ship, and the presumption that the Japanese assertion the sailor should beryllium in, helium simply isn't there,” Jonas Christoffersen told BBC.

“There’s nary evidential ground for the allegation that idiosyncratic got got injured.”

Lyon-based planetary constabulary assemblage Interpol has confirmed the beingness of an outstanding reddish announcement for the apprehension of Mr Watson.

In 2012, Paul Watson was besides detained successful Germany, but near the state aft learning that helium was sought for extradition by Japan.

Masashi Mizobuchi, adjunct property caput for the Japanese ministry of overseas affairs, told the BBC that Japan had not yet received immoderate effect from the Danish authorities.

“We volition proceed to instrumentality due measures, including indispensable outreach to the applicable countries and organisations,” Mr Mizobuchi said.

Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission and resumed commercialized whaling successful 2019, aft a 30-year hiatus. However, it had continued whaling for what it said were probe purposes.

French President Emmanuel Macron's bureau has asked Denmark not to extradite Paul Watson, and determination has been vocal enactment from legendary histrion turned animals rights activistic Brigitte Bardot.

Meanwhile a petition calling for Mr Watson’s merchandise has surpassed 120,000 signatures.