Environmental activist Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, which has been defending whales against whaling for decades, was arrested on Sunday 21 July in Greenland. His arrest followed an international arrest warrant issued by Japan.
He has been detained until 15 August, and it is not known whether Denmark will extradite him or not.
A petition launched by Hugo Clément and addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron has been posted on the Mesopinions.com website. It calls on the French President to demand the release of Paul Watson, who at 73 could die in prison.
Our association supports this initiative and invites all those who wish to do so to sign it in support of this important figure in militant ecology.
We want this leading cetacean defender to be released as soon as possible,’ insists our President Gaëtan Van Goidsenhoven. Whaling is an outdated practice that is banned in the vast majority of countries. Persecuting this person is a denial of this almost universal awareness of the need to respect these animals, which are endowed with profound intelligence and sensitivity’.
The group estimates that 5,000 cetaceans have been saved thanks to Paul Watson and his teams.
Whaling has been banned worldwide since the 1986 moratorium.
Frieda Weyh / 24 July 2024
it is a shame to have a man who fights for our planet and our ecosystems in prison. If hes deported to japan, we show the world and our history, that we value relationships with a country over innocent animals and over our homes savety!
Sophie marguery / 1 August 2024
Please free captain paul watson
Fievet / 24 July 2024
Honte au Danemark, honte au Japon, LIBEREZ Paul
Vine / 24 July 2024
Michael
Linda Benda / 24 July 2024
Free Captain Paul Watson
Paul Benda / 24 July 2024
Free Paul Watson
Eric Jacquemin / 24 July 2024
Libérez Paul Watson, fervent défenseur du monde marin depuis très longtemps, et victime d’une procédure incohérente lancée à son encontre par les tueurs de baleine hors la loi.
Katharine Barrett / 25 July 2024
Please free Paul Watson.
Andreas Kirchner / 25 July 2024
Fight whaling! Japanese industrial style whaling has nothing to do with „tradition“!
Ferin MTh / 25 July 2024
Sauvez les baleines ! Merci MR Paul Watson
Sandra Silva / 25 July 2024
Free Paull Watson, he is one of the Good ones, not a criminous. He only try to save lifes.
Barbara / 25 July 2024
His work is so important.
Ann Wood / 25 July 2024
Whale hunting has to stop.This man has devoted his life to stop this inhumanity.
Magda Przybysz / 25 July 2024
Free Paul Watson
Suzanne d'Amours / 25 July 2024
Il est impératif de libérer Paul Watson. Son dévouement est sans borne. Il est admiré par un grand nombre de gens soucieux de préserver la faune marine. Espèces en voix de disparition. Le Japon ne peut pas massacrer les baleines au nom d’une tradition archaïque.
Martina / 25 July 2024
Es kann nicht sein, dass DIE RETTER DER OZEANE IN HANDSCHELLEN GELEGT UND INS GEFÄNGNIS GEWORFEN WERDEN
UND die ZERSTÖRER DER OZEANE UND DAMIT DER ERDE FREI RUMLAUFEN UND MIT IHREN HARPUNEN UM SICH SCHIEßEN!!!!
Aaronne Colagrossi / 25 July 2024
Free now
Wiebke Schoon / 25 July 2024
Free Paul Watson
Simoni Kapa / 26 July 2024
RELEASE PAUL WATSON
Brian Lord / 26 July 2024
Have some compassion. Free Paul.
Amanda ten Wolde / 26 July 2024
Free Paul!
Hilde Broeckx / 26 July 2024
Je vous enpris de faire faire tout ce qui est en votre pouvoir pour éviter l’emprisonnement de Paul Watson.
Silvia / 26 July 2024
Please free him
Numa Roch / 26 July 2024
Paul Watson must be immediately released. Not only did he act in accordance with existing international law (as opposed to the illegal fishing and poaching parties he and his team tried to halt), but his actions to protect ocean life and the right of cetaceans to live should be further enshrined in international law. Paul Watson should be awarded recognition for his actions, which indirectly also save future human lives.
The arrest by Greece and the potential extradition to Japan are ultimately the result of private industry lobbies spitting in the face of public interest and the universal right to life.
Ruth-Aimée Sow-Roch / 26 July 2024
Paul Watson empêche des criminels d’agir contre la Vie Universelle. Ce sont ceux-là qu’il faut emprisonner
maryellen fernbacker / 26 July 2024
please release Paul Watson, whaling is an archaic practice. whale products are out, and it is a brutal killing practice
Faith Nicholson / 27 July 2024
Le mandat d’arrêt japonais est illégal. Cela viole tous les traités et lois internationaux relatifs aux droits de l’homme. Veuillez indemniser immédiatement cette situation car vous violez les lois internationales.
Pratim Dutta / 27 July 2024
Freands of whales should be free!
Pratim Dutta / 27 July 2024
Friends of whales should bwe free!
Will Hopkins / 27 July 2024
Respect all lives and be the voice of the voiceless.
c . james / 27 July 2024
#FREEPAULWATSON
cecile laurenson / 29 July 2024
honte au Japon et au Danemark. La communauté internationale devrait mettre une Mende record au Japon pour continuer à chasser les baleine dans l’illégalité et harceler leur sauveur! c’est le monde à l’envers!
Vincent / 29 July 2024
Join us in a protest at Denmark embassy, this Friday 2/08. 13h30-15h.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/xZUZbnJ5W7Dwisef/
Véronique NAISSE / 29 July 2024
Paul Watson n’est pas un criminel ; il a dédié son existence à la protection des océans et de la vie marine. Libérez Paul Watson !
Nancy Granger / 30 July 2024
Please free Paul Watson! He is a wonderful man who has had the courage to try and save the whales!
Anais Bachet / 30 July 2024
This goes against European agreements for nature, against common sense, against our planet and eco-system. We should be investing our efforts in stopping Japan rather than stopping the arrest of our heros.
Leigh Booker / 31 July 2024
Shocking
Lisa Bonomini / 31 July 2024
It’s terrible. Paul is a hero not a criminal! Free him now!
Janet Benfield / 31 July 2024
This is wrong. He is doing the right thing in a sad, cruel,
immoral world. God Bless Him.
Susan Coulter / 31 July 2024
Release Paul Watson immediately, He is doing Gods work on earth.
Katherine Ireland / 31 July 2024
Do not extradite Paul Watson
Yvo / 31 July 2024
Please help to free Captain Paul Watson!
Bert McNulty / 31 July 2024
Paul Watson thanks for your work
Beatrice Williams / 31 July 2024
Please free Paul Watson
Fred Foxon / 31 July 2024
Whales play a vital role in increasing ocean productivity by increasing nutrients levels in surface waters. Killing them is insane.
MaKenan / 31 July 2024
t is a shame to have a man who fights for our planet and our ecosystems in prison. If hes deported to japan, we show the world and our history, that we value relationships with a country over innocent animals and over our homes savety!
S. / 1 August 2024
Just saw the documentary on arte channel. This is just because of pure greed of a businessman who wants to keep the price of red tuna the highest possible and if they manage to exterminate the red tuna the worth of all the red tuna they already fished and stocked up ( many many fucking tons ) will be the highest possible.
Whale meat is hardly being consumed at all, so why do they fish for it?
Kathleen Lauchlan / 1 August 2024
Please, please release Paul Watson; on behalf of thousands of people concerned about whales here in North Carolina, USA
Helen 🇬🇧 / 1 August 2024
Illegal Japanese whaling must be stopped. #FREEPAULWATSON so that he can continue the fight to save the whales!
Babs Grant / 2 August 2024
Paul must be released
Erica / 2 August 2024
Free Paul watson
GreenEcoPeace / 2 August 2024
Paul has gone through enough, his work in the sea world is incredible. Don’t let the Japanese get hold of him. They are doing this to stop Paul following the new whale slaughter ship. The Kangel Maru
Deborah wright / 3 August 2024
Free Paul Watson
Tobias / 3 August 2024
Free Paul Watson
Jean-Luc Sauwens / 3 August 2024
Il ne fait que défendre ces animaux majestueux !
Soloviev / 4 August 2024
le chant des baleines est une merveille qui nous rapproche du cosmos
Cosimo Perrone / 4 August 2024
With the issue we are facing with the climate change I find outrageous to arrest Paul Watson.
The government should focus on protecting the environment and those people who sacrifice their life to protect the sea life, and not arrest them
Roland Jurczok-de Klerk / 6 August 2024
Support the people who do the work – for generations to come!
Alan / 10 August 2024
Paul Watson all his life saving whales. Japanese don’t like that so they are trying to fix him. He is the thorn in the Japanese side
Lorna / 10 August 2024
A great guy, Paul doing a great job for our world. Don’t let the Japanese grab him.
Illumina Taylor / 11 August 2024
We 100% support the actions of the wise and compassionate Captain Paul Watson in acting on behalf of the whales and all humanity who truly value their living presence in the oceans.
Tricia Glanfield / 13 August 2024
Why do we need to hunt whales ?
There does not seem to be any logical reason to continue hunting whales. It makes me ashamed to be a human being. Please stop. Forever.
Martina / 16 August 2024
Paul Watson wurde wieder in Handschellen abgeführt, einen Uebersetzer vor Gericht hat er nicht bekommen – was geht hier vor? Er soll in der Vergangenheit einmal eine Stinkbombe auf einen japanischen Harpunierer geworfen haben – an der Stelle kann ich nur sagen, dass ich die Japanischen Harpunierer aufgrund ihres schweren Empathieverlustes gegenüber Lebewesen mit Tausend Stinkbomben beworfen hätte!!!!
Wenn hier schon die Vergangenheit rachsuechtig aufgewühlt wird, frage ich mich natürlich warum die japanischen Walfänger, die mit der Nisshin Maru 2017 lichterloh brennend in der Antarktis vorbei an Pinguin Kolonien unterwegs waren, nicht auch strafrechtlich belangt werden wegen eines sogenannten ‘unerlaubten Risikos’ das eine Umweltkatastrophe ausgelöst hatte. DAS FEUER WURDE ZUDEM DURCH WALOEL ANGEFACHT!!!!
Tracy Kelly / 21 August 2024
Free Paul Watson
Marco Hauri / 26 August 2024
Absolute Disgrace!!! As diver i am ashamed!!
francesca bartoli / 29 August 2024
please release him, he’s a good person and the world needs people like him
Gavala UK / 4 September 2024
Its about time People such as Paul Watson were listened to and treated as an advisor, not an inmate!
Shame on all countries who support Japans killing frenzy.
Didem Minbay / 5 September 2024
Please set free Captain Mr. Watson. He is only trying to save animals.
Janus Avivson / 5 September 2024
Please release Paul Watson
Marylouise / 5 September 2024
Sanctuary
Barney Davies / 5 September 2024
free this guy
Stephen / 5 September 2024
Let him go free. He’s a legend and hero… Not a criminal
Marina Burgess / 6 September 2024
Release Paul Watson
Kevin Wheeler / 6 September 2024
Release Paul Watson
Steinmetz / 11 September 2024
Stop killing of Whales!
Free Paul Watson!
Katia Descamps / 15 September 2024
Free a hero defending nature and environment!
Rondeaux / 26 October 2024
Free Paul Watson!
Maurice Grefe / 4 December 2024
Paul Watson is a hero for our planet and it’s inhabitants. He is not a criminal! Our oceans and marine life need Captain Paul