Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, requests political asylum in France

The founder of the NGO Sea Shepherd, Canadian Paul Watson, poses aboard the “Brigitte-Bardot”, a Sea Shepherd multihull moored in Paris, January 15, 2015. LOIC VENANCE / AFP Environmental activist Paul Watson, detained at Greenland and subject to an extradition request from Japan for acts dating back to 2010, requested “political asylum” from France in a letter to Emmanuel Macron, Sea Shepherd France announced on Wednesday October 16. This request was made a few days ago, declared during a press conference in Paris, Lamya Essemlali, president of Sea Shepherd France, which supports the 73-year-old environmental activist. Japan issued an international arrest warrant for him accusing the activist of breaking into a Japanese whaling ship in the Antarctic Ocean in 2010, causing bodily harm to the crew and property damage. The founder of Sea Shepherd, and of the foundation for the oceans which bears his name, was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk, capital of the autonomous Danish territory, during a stopover in the port to refuel, while He was on his way with his ship, the John-Paul-DeJoria-II, to intercept a new Japanese whaler. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers Between whale defender Paul Watson and Japan, a long-term showdown Add to your selections Le Monde with AFP



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