The “Sea Pirate”, according to his detractors, was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, while on his way with his ship, the John Paul DeJoria, to intercept the new Japanese factory whaling ship. The facts he is accused of date back to 2010. Japan suspects him of being jointly responsible for damage and injuries on board a Japanese whaling ship and is asking Denmark, of which Greenland is a part, to extradite him.
In preventive detention
For Paul Watson and his defense, he is the victim of a vendetta. “They want to use me as an example to show that their whaling is not being interfered with.” Pending the Danish decision, he is behind bars.
The court in Nuuk is due to rule on September 4 on whether to continue his pre-trial detention, where he has been placed to avoid the risk of flight, according to the indictment. In 2012, he quickly fled Germany, where he was under house arrest, fearing extradition to Japan.
“My lawyers tell me that my detention will be extended,” says the activist, who has been living in France for almost two years.
A petition of 100,000 people
From his cell in the center of the penitentiary, a modern gray building on the edge of the cliffs, he can admire whales and icebergs. “It's almost like being in front of my boat,” he says. His situation does not move him except for his separation from the 3 and almost 8 year olds.
Paul Watson reads a lot, just devoured an anthology about popes, watches detective series, but mostly does what he “does best: write” texts entrusted to Lamya Essemlali, president of Sea Shepherd France. He visits it almost daily.
around the world, nearly 100,000 people signed a petition to ask for their release, he received numerous letters, and the prisoners were filled with compassion, despite his opposition to the seal hunt, traditional on the Arctic island.
“I get a lot of letters, many of them from children,” he says happily. “They are extremely passionate about the world, and if we can reach the children, I think things can change,” says the self-proclaimed misanthrope.
Politically, Paris has asked Copenhagen not to extradite him, but the Danish government remains silent.
“Denmark is in a very difficult situation, they can't extradite me on the one hand because they are fervent defenders of human rights”, estimates the activist, for whom the Japanese judicial system is “medieval”.
On the other hand, “I didn't do anything, and even if I had done something, the penalty would be 1,500 kroner (around 200 euros), not even a prison sentence, while Japan wants to sentence me to 15 years”, he assures.
Powerful methods
A controversial figure in environmental circles, particularly due to his muscular methods, he enjoys the unconditional support of Brigitte Bardot, the former French film star turned animal rights activist.
Its two boats are stationed in each hemisphere, ready to intervene if one of the whaling powers recaptures it – along with Japan, Norway and Iceland are the only countries that authorize whaling.
“In 1974, my goal was to eradicate whaling, and I hope to do it before I die,” he says.
Moreover, he also assures, he and his fellow soldiers only ensure respect for marine sanctuaries. “I interfere in an aggressive, non-violent way,” explains the rebellious white-haired activist. For him, there is no possible contradiction between these terms: “This means that I will try to take the knife from the person who is trying to kill a whale, but that I will not hurt them.”