Lawyer challenges extradition of whaleactivist
Jonas Christoffersen, the lawyer defending environmental activist Paul Watson, contends that Watson should neither be detained nor extradited to Japan. Christoffersen argues the incident involving Watson and a Japanese whaling ship in 2010 was not serious enough to justify his extradition, especially since a similar defendant received only a conditional sentence for involvement in the case. The International Court ruled in 2014 that Japanese whale hunting at the South Pole was illegal, highlighting a 1986 international agreement banning commercial whaling, a stance supported by Denmark. Christoffersen views the ongoing pursuit of Watson and the potential compromise of activists’ freedom of expression as a violation of human rights, including the right to a fair trial and protection from inhumane treatment. There is concern over how Watson, considered a major adversary by Japan’s whaling interests, will be treated if handed over, based on reports of rough treatment of other activists in Japanese custody.