STORY: PAUL WATSON: “Well, I'm certainly relieved…”
Denmark released anti-whaling activist Paul Watson from detention in Greenland on Tuesday…
And said it had rejected a request from Japan to extradite him on criminal charges dating back more than a decade.
WATSON: “The only hard part has been not seeing my kids since June, but the support here in Greenland has been incredible.”
Watson is the founder of the conservation group Sea Shepherd and the Captain Paul Watson Foundation.
:: Captain Paul Watson Foundation
He was arrested in July when his ship docked in Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.
Japan had issued an international arrest warrant for him…
He is wanted on charges of breaking into a Japanese ship in the Antarctic Ocean in 2010, hampering its operations and causing both injury and property damage.
The Danish Ministry of Justice said it was taking into account the age of the case…
And in particular, the uncertainty over whether Watson's time in detention in Greenland would be counted against any final sentence in Japan.
According to the police, the 74-year-old was released in the Greenland capital Nuuk.
“You know, I received over 4,000 letters while I was in prison, it was really overwhelming.” // “I have even received dozens of letters from Japan that have been very supportive.”
:: Copenhagen, Denmark
:: File
A spokesperson for the Japanese embassy in Copenhagen declined to comment.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request.
Watson has had strong support in France, where he has lived with his family since 2023.
French President Emmanuel Macron and actor Brigitte Bardot supported a campaign for his release.
Watson says the focus now is on reconnecting with family.
“Well, the first thing is to go home and spend some time with my kids. Then we'll continue with what we're doing.”
