Paul Watson, 74, emblematic activist of the ecological cause and co -founder of Sea Shepherd, finally breathes a little better. Tuesday, Interpol officially raised the red notice that had been targeting it for several years, ending a legal hunt initiated by Japan. But this decision was not to Tokyo’s taste, which immediately recalled that the arrest warrant against him remains fully valid. Paul Watson is not ready to go to Japan where he risks a heavy sentence.
Japan always resentful
Wednesday, July 23, the day after Interpol’s decision, the Japanese authorities reacted strongly. During a press briefing, a government spokesman described the lifting of the red notice “extremely regrettable”, adding that this cancellation did not modify anything in any way Japan’s desire to prosecute Paul Watson for acts dating back almost 15 years.
Japan has never forgiven the environmentalist and continues his hunt hoping one day to serve his sentence in a prison in the archipelago.
Reproached facts that date from 2010
The activist is accused of having Participated in sabotage acts Having caused material damage and injuries on a Japanese whale ship in 2010, during a Sea Shepherd operation aimed at disrupting whaling in the southern ocean.
The 2010 campaign, led by Sea Shepherd, aimed to denounce the whale hunting carried out under the guise of “scientific research”. Confrontations with Japanese whalers had been muscular, sometimes violent, and filmed, especially in the documentary series Whale Wars.
Despite the political tension, Interpol chose to remove the red notice targeting Paul Watson. A purely administrative decision, as a spokesperson for the organization said: “This does not constitute a position on the substance of the file, but results from the interpol rules in terms of data management. »»
For Tokyo, these facts are not prescribed or forgotten. The message is clear: If Watson gives a foot on Japanese soil, he will be arrested and risks a prison sentence probably for life.
What does Paul Watson risk?
Paul Watson is still in danger. “” If I go to Japan, I will not come back “, He had said from his cell in Greenland at the end of 2024. At the time, he was arrested at the request of Japan and held for five months.
It was only until the favor of a strong international mobilization that Denmark had finally refused its extradition.
If he was arrested in Japan, he would risk up to 15 years in prison. A sentence which, for many of his supports, would have signed the end of the life of Paul Watson.