Sea Shepherd Founder Released After Denmark Rejects Extradition to Japan

Nuuk, Dec 18 (News On Japan) - Paul Watson, founder of the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd, who had been detained in Greenland, a Danish territory, has been released after Danish authorities rejected Japan's extradition request.

Watson, 74, was taken into custody on July 21st in Greenland under an international warrant issued by Japan. He was accused of instructing his associates in 2010 to obstruct the navigation of Japan's research whaling vessels.

On June 17th, Denmark's Ministry of Justice announced its decision not to approve Japan's request for Watson's extradition. The ministry cited the significant passage of time since the incident, which occurred 14 years ago, and the uncertainty over whether Watson's detention period in Greenland would be subtracted from any potential sentence in Japan.

Following the decision, Watson was released from a prison in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, where he had been held.

Source: ANN

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