logo
Japan sees red as Interpol drops arrest request for whale activist Paul Watson

Japan sees red as Interpol drops arrest request for whale activist Paul Watson

Interpol 's decision to drop a decade-old red notice against Paul Watson, the outspoken founder of marine conservation group Sea Shepherd, has sparked outrage in Japan , with critics accusing the international police agency of bowing to Western bias and undermining justice for alleged attacks on Japanese whalers.
Interpol announced on Tuesday that it had
removed the red notice – a non-binding request for the arrest and extradition of a wanted individual – after a review by its independent Commission for the Control of Files, which found the request raised concerns about political motivations and potential rights violations.
Watson, 74, had been wanted since 2012 after Japan requested the red notice over clashes in Antarctic waters two years earlier, when his group hurled rancid butter at whaling vessels and allegedly interfered with harpoon operations.
The Canadian-American was initially taken into custody in the
German city of Frankfurt that same year but was later released, despite the red notice being in effect.
Hopes of a successful extradition were revived when Watson was arrested in Greenland last July. Japanese officials were optimistic that
Denmark – which governs Greenland and also oversees pro-whaling territories like the Faroe Islands – might be more amenable to handing him over.
People demonstrate in Paris last October to support Paul Watson, who was asking France's president for political asylum. Photo: AP
But those hopes were dashed in December when the Danish government announced it would not comply with Japan's request and released Watson from custody, citing the lack of assurances that his time in detention in Greenland would count towards any future sentence.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire welcome, but festering grievances must be tackled
Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire welcome, but festering grievances must be tackled

South China Morning Post

time2 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire welcome, but festering grievances must be tackled

The unconditional ceasefire agreed to by Thailand and Cambodia that came into force from midnight on Monday is to be cautiously welcomed, and current Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) chair Malaysia is to be commended for enabling this truce. Advertisement China and the United States also played a role in nudging the two Southeast Asian neighbours to end the unexpected escalation in a military conflict over a disputed border that saw the use of fighter jets, drones, tanks and artillery guns. The Cambodia-Thailand conflict has its roots in the colonial borders drawn by France, which occupied Cambodia until 1953. While Thailand has contested this arbitrary demarcation, so far it has not tried to change the border through military force. The border of more than 800km (500 miles) has seen periodic skirmishes, especially over some temples seen as sacred to people on both sides. In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in Cambodia's favour in its complaint over the ownership of the Preah Vihear temple. Violent clashes erupted near the temple in 2011 , resulting in about 20 deaths and thousands of people being displaced. Cambodia again referred the matter to the ICJ that year, with the court upholding its earlier ruling and awarding Phnom Penh control of the immediate area around the temple in 2013. A Cambodian soldier died during a skirmish in an unmarked border area in May, making bilateral relations even more combustible. Domestic politics and nationalist sentiment only heightened tensions. 03:39 Thailand, Cambodia agree to 'unconditional' ceasefire after 5 days of fighting Thailand, Cambodia agree to 'unconditional' ceasefire after 5 days of fighting The Thai military has played a major role in the country's domestic politics since the first coup of 1932 that ushered in a constitutional monarchy. Ever since, the Thai military has seen itself as the principal guardian of national sovereignty and the monarchy, and it has had a frosty relationship with pro-democracy political parties

Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire welcome, but festering grievances must be tackled
Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire welcome, but festering grievances must be tackled

South China Morning Post

time3 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire welcome, but festering grievances must be tackled

The unconditional ceasefire agreed to by Thailand and Cambodia that came into force from midnight on Monday is to be cautiously welcomed, and current Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) chair Malaysia is to be commended for enabling this truce. China and the United States also played a role in nudging the two Southeast Asian neighbours to end the unexpected escalation in a military conflict over a disputed border that saw the use of fighter jets, drones, tanks and artillery guns. The Cambodia-Thailand conflict has its roots in the colonial borders drawn by France, which occupied Cambodia until 1953. While Thailand has contested this arbitrary demarcation, so far it has not tried to change the border through military force. The border of more than 800km (500 miles) has seen periodic skirmishes, especially over some temples seen as sacred to people on both sides. In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in Cambodia's favour in its complaint over the ownership of the Preah Vihear temple. Violent clashes erupted near the temple in 2011 , resulting in about 20 deaths and thousands of people being displaced. Cambodia again referred the matter to the ICJ that year, with the court upholding its earlier ruling and awarding Phnom Penh control of the immediate area around the temple in 2013. A Cambodian soldier died during a skirmish in an unmarked border area in May, making bilateral relations even more combustible. Domestic politics and nationalist sentiment only heightened tensions. 03:39 Thailand, Cambodia agree to 'unconditional' ceasefire after 5 days of fighting Thailand, Cambodia agree to 'unconditional' ceasefire after 5 days of fighting

Malaysia ordered to pay Dutch model's family damages over botched death probe
Malaysia ordered to pay Dutch model's family damages over botched death probe

South China Morning Post

timea day ago

  • South China Morning Post

Malaysia ordered to pay Dutch model's family damages over botched death probe

Malaysia 's High Court has ordered the government and three other parties to pay 1.1 million ringgit (US$260,000) in damages to the family of Dutch model Ivana Smit , after finding that authorities failed to properly investigate her death eight years ago. Advertisement Justice Roz Mawar Rozain, delivering her decision on Tuesday, condemned the handling of the case as a 'profound failure of Malaysia's law enforcement system'. The court found that police breached their duty of care while investigating the circumstances surrounding Smit's death. Justice Roz Mawar cited a litany of failings, including the premature classification of the case, mishandling of the crime scene, failures in preserving evidence and inadequate treatment of witnesses and suspects. She also noted the neglect of foreign evidence and the dismissal of expert testimony. 'These are simple and clear pieces that corroborate my finding that there were breaches of the duty of care,' she said. Smit, who was 18 at the time, was found dead on the sixth-floor balcony of CapSquare Residence on December 7, 2017, after falling from the 20th floor of a unit owned by American couple Alex Johnson and Luna Almazkyzy.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store