Paul Watson Arrested in Greenland: Extradition to Japan Possible

Paul Watson Arrested in Greenland: Possible Extradition to Japan

Paul Watson, a prominent figure in the fight against whaling, was apprehended in Greenland on Sunday and could be extradited to Japan, where authorities seek him under an international arrest warrant, according to his organization. Mr. Watson, a Canadian-American activist and founder of Sea Shepherd—a nonprofit dedicated to marine conservation known for its direct-action tactics—was taken into custody by Danish police in Nuuk, Greenland, shortly after his vessel, the John Paul DeJoria, docked.

“We were immediately boarded by a SWAT team and Danish police, who swiftly cuffed Paul Watson, our founder, and arrested him based on a decades-old red notice requested by Japan,” stated the boat’s captain, Locky MacLean, in a video shared on the official X page for the Captain Paul Watson Foundation. A red notice is an international alert issued by Interpol to inform member countries about a wanted person.

Mr. Watson, who established Sea Shepherd following a controversial exit from Greenpeace—another major environmental organization he co-founded—is renowned for leading maritime campaigns that directly confront whale hunting, shark finning, and other controversial fishing practices. His recent mission had brought him and his crew to Greenland as a brief stop during a highly publicized expedition to the North Pacific Ocean. Their objective was to intercept the Kangei Maru, a Japanese factory ship rumored to be gearing up for renewed whaling activities in the Antarctic Ocean due to its extensive range and storage capabilities.

This is not the first time Mr. Watson has found himself on the wrong side of the law regarding his anti-whaling efforts. He was previously the subject of a red notice issued by Japan in connection with his 2014 activities in the Southern Ocean, where Japan conducted whale hunts until 2016. However, that particular warrant mysteriously vanished several months ago, as reported by Mr. Watson’s organization.

“We now understand that Japan made it confidential to lure Paul into a false sense of security,” Mr. MacLean expressed in the release. “We urge the Danish government to release Captain Watson and not to entertain this politically motivated request.” Should he be convicted, Mr. Watson faces the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence of up to 15 years.

The Danish police confirmed in a statement that Mr. Watson’s detention was indeed due to the Japanese red notice. According to the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, he will remain in custody in Nuuk until August 15, while the Ministry of Justice evaluates his potential extradition to face unspecified charges in Japan. A judge has denied Mr. Watson bail, labeling him a flight risk, citing a 2012 incident in Germany concerning shark finning, during which Mr. Watson had previously fled house arrest.