Anti-whaling activist Watson to face Greenland detention hearing

We all ,myself included, misread the purpose of this Court hearing .

It is to determine whether a further period of detention is justified,

The decision on extradition is one to be made by the Danish Ministry of Justice .

However, I would think a decision to extradite would then be subject to a legal appeal and would bounce back into the Court.

His Danish lawyer Jonas Christoffersen is very high profile. Francois Zimeray is even higher profile. Macron is involved. This cannot be a coincidence.

It'd be surprising if they extend his detention beyond the three weeks.

What'd be more surprising if the EU allows someone to be thrown to the wolves, abused by a feudal hostage justice system that is a nasty piece of work, in what is an obvious, naked politically motivated persecution, pursued by extremists with an axe to grind.

Well said @JJE

What'd be more surprising if the EU allows someone to be thrown to the wolves, abused by a feudal hostage justice system that is a nasty piece of work

Japan hostage justice system now will face EU standard, Japan really wrong to think that only dealing with Denmark. Japan now dealing with the whole EU.

y’all have the extremist label backwards.

"All this was orchestrated. After all, 14 federal police officers and a Danish public prosecutor were put on a direct plane to Greenland to arrest Paul."

If this is true, and Denmark complied with a Red Notice no longer widely known, has full intent of extraditing this fugitive from justice. Everything else if simply due process.

"We absolutely want to avoid his extradition to Japan, because we know that if he is extradited to Japan, he won't get out alive", Essemlali said.

The usual fear mongering nonsense. Peter Bethune got out alive. Every foreigner involved in the Ghosn case got out alive.

Denmark will have to comply with the EU courts too.

Hard to be against this guy and on the side that thinks we should be killing whales.

14 federal police officers and a Danish public prosecutor were put on a direct plane to Greenland to arrest Paul.

This shows the Danish authorities are very, very serious about this crime - and will almost certainly extradite Watson to Japan. I suspect they expected violent resistance from Watson and his supporters, which is why such a large police contingent was required.

What'd be more surprising if the EU allows someone to be thrown to the wolves, abused by a feudal hostage justice system that is a nasty piece of work, in what is an obvious, naked politically motivated persecution, pursued by extremists with an axe to grind.

Cut the dramatics, please. If Watson is as innocent as you and his supporters claim, he should welcome having his day in court to prove it.

Fighto..."He should welcome his day in Court "

Unlikely...on what planet would a Japanese Court give him a fair hearing ?

An International Court or similar body, with no powers of imprisonment, but can adjudicate on facts , would be a better proposition.

In fact, Australia took Japan to just such an International Court to dispute Japan's spurious claim of "scientific whaling "....and Aussies won that.

Celebrate for a day, then Japan resumed whaling under another guise.

Nibek32Today  07:52 am JST

Hard to be against this guy and on the side that thinks we should be killing whales.

Not at all. There is peaceful and legal resistance, and there is violent criminal activity using the cause as a justification.

Greenpeace is against whaling, But they threw Paul Watson out because of his penchant for violence.

Asahi media has an article from a few years ago titled "Japans whalers should reduce dependence on the state "

Whale meat sales in one year quoted as 2.5 billion Yen [Impressive until you read...}

Fisheries Agency {Govt. Department } provided 5.1 billion yen in subsidies.

So whaling is ONLY viable through Govt. {read taxpayer } support.

And following the pyrrhic victory Australia obtained {see my comment above }, Japan dropped the "scientific whaling " foolishness and rebranded it, correctly, as commercial whaling.

Japan also promised to hunt only in its territorial waters and would not hunt in Antarctica, unless there was a food shortage crisis.

I wonder where the offence alleged against Watson took place.

If Antarctica, Japan had no right nor reason to be there.

This is one fish Japan is better off releasing! Does Japan really think there is something to gain in a long drawn out extradition and IF granted, an even longer court battle here in Japan, which Watson will lose of course? Watson's court battle and ultimate imprisonment will just bring much more international scrutiny of Japan's justice system as well as the government subsidized whaling industry and make a hero out of Watson in the process.

Dave Fair: Whales are mammals, not fish. Just saying.

Oh, he his will have his day in court, it just won't be in Japan.

And that is the thing that goes straight over your head: no one said he is 'innocent'.

He is innocent against politicised persecution. Regardless of the above and what one feels about guilt or innocence, the main point is standards of justice in Japan are very controversial (as his French lawyer outlines in the article) so submitting anyone to be victimized by it should be below most countries, least of all an EU country which has obligations to uphold to Brussels.

This is the thing about the EU. You can't cherry pick which parts of the bureaucracy one fancies; the EU courts will have a say on this too (as well as the more senior members like Macron).

I'm against commercial whaling. If it wouldn't be for Watson, commercial whaling would have quietly died in the early 2000's. The market for whale meat had been steadily shrinking over the years and there was no interest to save the "tradition". But then Watson came along with his high profile activism. His "heroism" caused the Japanese government dig in its nationalist heels while the Japanese support for whaling was reawakened and grew stronger than ever. Watson is a narcissistic attention grabber not a hero. He managed to reinvigorate the support for whaling in Japan and thus contributed more to the continuous slaughter of whales than anybody else before him. For that he deserves to be thrown in a Japanese jail for the rest of his life.

Send this terrorist to Japan where he can be shown how foreigners are treated when they break Japanese law.

Yeah right above.

1/ He is not accused of terrorism

2/ All non Japanese are "foreigners " ?...Seems strange but whatever.

3/Can you give me the "Japanese Law " that has been broken...I believe the "offences " occurred outside Japan.

Was Japan in breach of it's own undertaking not to hunt whale outside of Japanese territory ?

Research! Japan whaling factory ships were conducting very important research to protect whales!

Just don't go looking for any of this research in any peer reviewed science journal.

Japan just killed its first fin whale for 50 years- it has unilaterally given itself a quota of another 58 fin whales this year. Fin whales are internationally recognized as an endangered species.

Watson, start to study basic survival Japanese Language..

I can just imagine the trial, if it ever gets that far. Be like that scene in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence when Bowie is in court with his "interpreter".

Watson: "I intended no damage against the Japanese vessel, I was merely exercising my right to protest what I see as a barbaric practice".

Court-appointed lawyer: 私はわざと捕鯨の船を攻撃しました。中華料理は日本食よりも美味しいです。五輪でアメリカは日本より金メダルを取りました。ふふふ。

Good! Get this criminal thrown into jail. Whatever he wanted to protest about should never hurt any of those sailors on those whaling ship. The minute there is harm done, he is nothing more that another terrorist!

Poor bloke, Jammed up in Greenland prison feeding on Milky whale and rollmops. How ironic, If he get pinned and end up in a Japanese prison again he be feeding on Milky whale and sushi. Because I always wonder where Japan's whale end up. I lived In Northern Honshu for 10 years and have only see it once for sale in a Supermarket. So I assume a lot ends up in the prisons. Hight in omega fat and protein a 100gms would be more than the daily diet requirements

Get him over here and lock him up, if he was doing on land what he’s been doing at sea he’d be described as a terrorist.

3/Can you give me the "Japanese Law " that has been broken...I believe the "offences " occurred outside Japan.

Passive personality jurisdiction - if the victim is Japanese, then Japanese Law can apply.

Send this terrorist to Japan where he can be shown how foreigners are treated when they break Japanese law.

you mean hostage justice.

Rivx: A Bit harsh. A terrorist for attacking a whaling ship'. What offence would an entity be if they attack a USA navy vessel ? one come to mind the USS Liberty.

Shimazaki above "If the victim is Japanese, then Japanese law can apply "

I havent heard of that one, but always willing to learn more.

Please post some proof.

I'll google "passive personality jurisdiction " as I wait your reply.

I actually think other sovereign nations are the ones to apply law broken on their soil....but what do I know ?

Passive personality jurisdiction is a "thing " used in terrorism cases or where the victim is attacked because of his nationality.

Watson not charged with terrorism offences and I cant make an argument that attacking Japanese sailors was more at the front of his "mens rea " {guilty mind } than a desire to disrupt a whaling ship.

So Shimazaki...nice try but no kewpie doll.

Do the crime, do the time.

I still don't understand why they call him American Canadian? He's Canadian!

Generic above....be accused of a crime, get a fair hearing...

I still don't understand why they call him American Canadian? He's Canadian!

And American.

Regarding jursdiction (since there seems some disscussion in that area)....

For crimes and accidents that occur in open waters usually it has to refer to what is estipulated in UNCLOS, Part VII, Section 1.

As referrence

What happens if you commit a crime in international waters?

Crimes committed in international waters pose unique jurisdictional challenges. Generally, crimes committed aboard vessels in international waters fall under the jurisdiction of the flag state, which is the nation under whose laws the vessel is registered. This principle is codified in various acts and statutes, such as the Flag State Jurisdiction Act and the Law of the Sea Act. However, many countries exercise universal jurisdiction for certain serious crimes, such as piracy, drug trafficking, and terrorism, allowing them to prosecute individuals regardless of their nationality or the vessel’s flag.

> What is illegal in international waters?

Certain activities are universally considered illegal in international waters. These include piracy, drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal fishing, unauthorised dumping of hazardous materials, and engaging in acts of violence or terrorism. International treaties and conventions, such as UNCLOS, the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, provide a legal framework to address such offences. Additionally, national laws of coastal states and international agreements may establish further regulations regarding specific activities in international waters.

Due to be a legal matter and how the law is intepreted...so it may be disputed. But as for Japan side, since Watson attacked a Japanese flag vessel... then is Japan jurisdiction.

A crime comitted towards or aboard a vessel at sea in international waters is subject to the jurisdiction of the vessel's flag. Peter Bethune (a former Sea Shepherd member who got screwed by Watson) who climbed onboard a Japanese vessel was charged and tried in Japan.

Watson was born Canadian but he obtained US citizenship as well through naturalization. And both nations recognise dual citizenship.

Daniel above...good comment and info.

Any precedents in similar matters ?

Drug/human trafficking and terrorism would seem cut and dried to prove.

But this ?

Thoughts ?

"We absolutely want to avoid his extradition to Japan, because we know that if he is extradited to Japan, he won't get out alive", Essemlali said.

:)))) Thanks for the laugh. Couldn't come up with ANYTHING better and having to scrap the bottom of the barrel like this?

Do not be a coward and face the justice, you knew the risk and did it anyway. Stop escaping and plead your case.

This is the way for all of us, you are not special.

@GuruMick

The case of Seasheapard and Waton in my opinion is a littel different from other acts of piracy, since the main focus/objective (at least on paper) for him is to detain and stop whale hunting, and not stealing or causing damanges or injuries.

That last part is where Watson is loosing, because his actions (and the seasheapard) had cause damanges to property (the ship) and the crew can alledge injury too.... using violence (ramming the boat, throwing stuff, etc.) can be interpreted as an "act of terrorism".

Now how all that goes in any courtroom depends on the legal teams of each side.

If you ask for my opinion, Seashepard and Watson are terrorist or at leats they incurr in violent piracy acts.

As "common" acts of piracy and/or high sea terrorism examples could be mentioned recorded in several sites but this one is kind of "entreteining" https://www.maritime-executive.com/piracy-news

"" Only Japan, Iceland and Norway allow commercial whaling.""

Old habits hard to change sometimes. stubbornness is the cause of most conflicts, leave these whales alone they are NOT meant to be eaten by any Human Being.

He's been travelling unhindered between the USA, Canada and France for the 12 years this Japanese Red Notice has been issued. Why's he suddenly been detained in Greenland? What do the Danes want from Japan in return?

Considering the number of downvotes on a simple phrase that those who are guilty should justly serve their sentence, it would seem that Watson and those who support him think they are above the laws that we should all be equally bound by. With such an echo chamber of sycophants, it's no wonder he thinks himself to be divinely justified and above mere mortals like us. Why else would he be running from law enforcement instead of rightly handing himself in and settling the matter in a court of law. (Unless, of course, he himself is riddled with guilt, and does not believe even in his own innocence.)

He's been travelling unhindered between the USA, Canada and France for the 12 years this Japanese Red Notice has been issued. Why's he suddenly been detained in Greenland? What do the Danes want from Japan in return?

Denmark is a very wealthy Kingdom, hard to imagine they are after anything in return from Japan. Perhaps they just want to apply Rule of Law - a doctrine common to both Japan and Denmark.

Plus - whale hunting on a small scale is conducted in Greenland. Whale meat is consumed. The Danes respect this.

whales alone they are NOT meant to be eaten by any Human Being.

Is there any scientifical or biological reason for that??

If not, that your opinon based on the banner "whales are intelligent" or "they are noble animlas".... why you eat meat then?

or may be you don't eat any kind of meat... but you do eat plant base life... so not all life is sacred?

I agree that those animals that are in danger of extintion should be protected (and thus not eaten), but if the population is stable and they are not in any danger to be extint, why not eat them?

Becasue they are "intelligent"?... so are pig, so are octopuses, so are squids.

Because they are sentinent and have a notion of "self"... so do plants (trees specially), and some types of fungy too.

Life is presicous and personally I believe every life form is aware of itself... and also they eat, some eat plants only, some only meat, some (like humans) every thing.

GuruMickToday  01:11 pm JST

Jurisdiction is clarified in the first few articles of the Penal Code.

Article 1: Crimes Committed within Japan - that's the usual Territorial jurisdiction.

Article 2: Crimes Committed outside Japan - that's protective jurisdiction.

This Code applies to anyone who commits one of the following crimes outside the territory of Japan:

(ii) the crimes prescribed under Articles 77 through 79 (Insurrection; Preparations; Plots; Accessoryship to Insurrection);

(iii) the crimes prescribed under Articles 81 (Instigation of Foreign Aggression), 82 (Assistance to the Enemy), 87 (Attempts) and 88 (Preparation; Plots);

(iv) the crime prescribed under Article 148 (Counterfeiting of Currency and Uttering Counterfeit Currency) as well as an attempt thereof;

(v) the crimes prescribed under Article 154 (Counterfeiting of Imperial or State Documents), 155 (Counterfeiting of Official Documents), 157 (False Entries in the Original of Notarized Deeds) and 158 (Uttering Counterfeit Official Documents), and the crime concerning an electronic or magnetic record which should be created by a public office or a public employee in Article 161-2 (Unauthorized Creation of Electronic or Magnetic Records);

(vi) the crimes prescribed under Articles 162 (Counterfeiting of Securities) and 163 (Uttering Counterfeit Securities);

(vii) the crimes prescribed under Articles 163-2 through 163-5 (Unauthorized Creation of Payment Cards with an Electronic or Magnetic Record; Possession of Payment Cards with an Unauthorized Electronic or Magnetic Record; Preparation for Unauthorized Creation of Payment Cards with an Electronic or Magnetic Record; Attempts);

(viii) the crimes prescribed under Articles 164 through 166 (Counterfeiting or Unauthorized Use of the Imperial Seal; Counterfeiting or Unauthorized Use of Official Seals; Counterfeiting or Unauthorized Use of Official Marks) as well as any attempts to commit the crimes prescribed under paragraph (2) of Article 164, paragraph (2) of Article 165, and paragraph (2) of Article 166.

Article 3: Crimes Committed by Japanese Nationals outside Japan - that's active personality jurisdiction

Article 3-2: Crimes Committed by Non-Japanese Nationals outside Japan - that's passive personality jurisdiction.

This Code applies to any non-Japanese national who commits one of the following crimes against a Japanese national outside the territory of Japan:

(i) the crimes prescribed under Articles 176 through 181 (sex-related crimes)

(ii) the crime prescribed under Articles 199 (Homicide) and attempt thereof

(iii) the crimes prescribed under Articles 204 (Injury) and 205 (Injury Causing Death);

(iv) the crimes prescribed under Articles 220 (Unlawful Capture and Confinement) and 221 (Unlawful Capture or Confinement Causing Death or Injury);

(v) the crimes prescribed under Articles 224 through 228 (Kidnapping of Minors; Kidnapping for Profit; Kidnapping for Ransom; Kidnapping for Transportation out of a Country; Human Trafficking; Transporting Kidnapped Persons out of a Country; Delivery of Kidnapped Persons; Attempts);

(vi) the crimes prescribed under Articles 236 (Robbery), 238 through 240 (Constructive Robbery; Drug-Facilitated Robbery; Robbery Causing Death or Injury), and paragraphs (1) and (3) of Article 241 (Robbery or Forcible Sexual Intercourse; Causing Death Thereby), as well as attempts of these crimes (excluding the crime prescribed in paragraph (1) of Article 241).

Fighto

Plus - whale hunting on a small scale is conducted in Greenland. Whale meat is consumed. The Danes respect this.

Most Danes don’t want anything to do with whale hunting or consumption.

It occurs on the remote Faroe Islands, a Danish autonomous territory in the North Atlantic, some 300km north of the United Kingdom. And most Faroese are opposed to the “grindadrap” tradition. In fact, many Faroese actually desire independence from Denmark.

In 2022, a petition with almost 1.3 million signatures calling for a ban on the traditional hunt was submitted to the Faroese government.

If he is a flight risk, he is, then he needs to be detained.

As for extradition, is what he did against Danish law? If so, then he should be extradited. If it isn't, then he should be freed. It isn't about what he intended to do. It is about what he actually did. If he behaved like a pirate, then he should be treated like a pirate.

Denmark is a true liberal democracy so there is no need to lend this man to a less developed country in matter or human rights and justice.

Whales have become the plushies of people who eat other intelligent animals. Pigs and deer are examples (both more intelligent than whales). Humans evolved as omnivores, not vegans or vegetarians. Some people eat whales (intelligence level lower than the top ten in animal intelligence, with the exception of orcas, who are rated 9th or 10th), so the weepy "feelings" for whales is, at best, unfounded.

This guy might be anti-whale hunting, but to use violence not only is savage, but does nothing to help to persuade people not to hunt whales. Best intentions or not, he is a criminal. People who do wrong because they have a cause are criminals, too. Don't like whale hunting? Be more persuasive.

whales (intelligence level lower than the top ten in animal intelligence, with the exception of orcas, who are rated 9th or 10th

We have a hard enough time qualifying/quantifying intelligence in humans; human understanding of animal intelligence is rudimentary at best.

We have a hard enough time qualifying/quantifying intelligence in humans; human understanding of animal intelligence is rudimentary at best.

If humans have learned anything about intelligence, it is that there are different types of intelligence. The method of testing matters.

Whales probably think humans are stupid, since we've always failed their intelligence testing too.

Japan: Time to wake up! Your "culture" of torturing and slaughtering whales is outdated and wildly innapropriate in 2024. Animals feel pain and deserve to be treated with respect. Also it is nothing short of absurd to say that because we eat cows and pigs and deer that this justifies the unnecessary agonizing prolonged deaths of some of the largest mammals on earth. Sorry but your idiotic, two faced, crusty ideoligies are going to be the contributing factors to the face plant you are about to experience. PAUL WATSON FOREVER. END WHALING NOW, STOP EMBARRASSING YOURSELVES

Thanks to all who posted good info with no resort to name calling etc.

The offences alleged occurred in 2010 with arrest warrants sought by Japan in 2012.

No word yet on how the Court ruled on his detention, I keep checking local Denmark media.

A roll mop would cheer me up...love 'em

We will see how Danmark will decide.

It is not really directly about whaling, it is about his very dangerous actions while on the high seas.

There is no legal problem about to chase away whales but a safety distance has to be respected from the whaling fleet under any circumstances, the minimum distance is 100 yard I think.

To ram deliberately other ships, especially a fuel supply ship in the stern, on the high seas in icy waters are very dangerous actions, by Maritime Law this is a serious crime tantamount to piracy.