Paul’s Legal Battle Explained

On July 21, 2024, Paul Watson was ambushed and arrested in Nuuk, Greenland. But this is not the first time he has faced injustice, nor will it deter us from our mission.

How did we get here? Let's go back to February 11, 2010. Two crewmembers on the Japanese whaling vessel, Shonan Maru 2, fired pepper spray at four anti-whaling activists in an inflatable boat. The wind turned their weapon back on them, but they claimed that a glass stink bomb injured them instead. That incident, based on distorted facts, became the first of many charges against Paul. To see footage of the actual event filmed by Animal Planet by helicopter, click here.

Charge #1. Bodily injury (§204 of the penal code) Anyone who injures the body of another is liable to imprisonment for up to 15 years or a fine of up to 500,000 yen. 

On February 15, 2010, New Zealand citizen Peter Bethune cut a small net in order to board the Shonan Maru 2. Peter Bethune gained entry onto the whaling ship to request reimbursement from the Japanese Captain who rammed his vessel, the Ady Gil, (formerly Pet Bethune’s vessel called EarthRace) on January 6th 2010, slicing it in two and ultimately causing it to sink. To see footage of the attack on the Ady Gil and its crew, click here. 

Charge #2. -Intrusion into boats and ships (§ 130 of the Penal Code) and damage to property (1) Any person who intrudes into the home of another or into the houses, buildings or boats or ships under the surveillance of a person and does not leave these places when requested to do so by the authorised person shall be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three years or a fine not exceeding 100,000 yen. 

Despite the destruction of his ship, Peter Bethune was sent to prison in Japan and served a suspended sentence (4 months in jail, 2 year suspended sentence and deportation). Under duress, Peter confessed that Paul Watson ordered him to board the ship—a claim he later retracted, revealing the coercion he faced in Japanese custody. This fabricated confession added a conspiracy charge against Paul.

Charge #3. Conspiracy: If two or more persons commit an offence together, all persons are considered to be the main offenders.

From 2010 until May 2012, Paul traveled freely. But suddenly, Japan's influence led to his arrest in Germany. A decade-old warrant from Costa Rica, driven by Japan, sought to silence him. Yet, the charges were dismissed, and Paul resumed his fight for the oceans.

Fast forward to July 21, 2024. Paul is arrested once more, this time by Denmark, under Japan's influence. It's clear that Japan’s obsession with revenge outweighs any concern for justice. Their whaling practices were exposed to the world by Animal Planet’s TV show Whale Wars, and their retaliation is to persecute the man who brought their illegal Antarctic whaling operations to light.

Japan's latest accusation claims Paul conspired to impede commerce. Yet, Japan claimed at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that its whaling activities in Antarctica were authorized under Article VIII of the IWC Convention, which provides for each Contracting Government to issue special permits for whaling involved in scientific research. So which is it, research or commerce? Their contradictory claims only highlight the truth: these charges are baseless and politically motivated. Furthermore the ICJ at the Hague determined Japan was whaling illegally in Antarctica, a suit filed by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. 

Paul Watson is a symbol of our collective resolve, and his imprisonment will not stop us. This year, Japan built a new killing machine, the Kangei Maru, aimed at whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. We cannot and will not allow this to happen.

We will not rest until whaling is banned globally. We fight not just for ourselves, but for our children, our grandchildren, our great grandchildren, and our planet.

For the Oceans,

The Captain Paul Watson Foundation