Paul Watson deems arrest political

American-Canadian environmentalist Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, views his detention in Greenland and Japan’s extradition request as politically motivated. His organization reports that he acknowledges Japan’s political pressure against him. Watson, a campaigner against whaling with confrontational tactics, was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk. His ship was en route to oppose a Japanese whaler. Since a 2010 Antarctica incident, Japan has pursued his extradition. He maintains that his actions were right. Nuuk court will rule on his detention extension on August 15, and the Danish Ministry of Justice will decide on his deportation. Watson’s lawyers contend that his extradition would breach the European Convention on Human Rights because they believe Japan does not comply with human rights.