Arrest of Mr Paul Watson in Greenland
On 21 July 2024 Greenland Police arrested the American-Canadian citizen Paul Watson. The arrest was made on the basis of an international arrest warrant from the Japanese authorities.
According to Interpol, the basis for the international arrest warrant is two incidents on the Antarctic Ocean in February 2010 against a Japanese vessel.
The Ministry of Justice has received a formal extradition request regarding Paul Watson from the Japanese authorities. The Ministry of Justice is now waiting to receive the documents in the extradition request in verified form. The Ministry of Justice will then forward the case to Greenland Police, unless the Ministry on the present basis finds grounds to reject the extradition request beforehand.
If the case is forwarded to Greenland Police, the police will initiate the investigations necessary to determine whether there is basis for extradition. The matter of extradition will thereafter be submitted to the Ministry of Justice for decision. The case must be handled in accordance with Greenlandic law, e.g. the extradition act applicable to Greenland and the Criminal Law for Greenland.
According to Interpol, the basis for the international arrest warrant is two incidents on the Antarctic Ocean in February 2010 against a Japanese vessel.
The Ministry of Justice has received a formal extradition request regarding Paul Watson from the Japanese authorities. The Ministry of Justice is now waiting to receive the documents in the extradition request in verified form. The Ministry of Justice will then forward the case to Greenland Police, unless the Ministry on the present basis finds grounds to reject the extradition request beforehand.
If the case is forwarded to Greenland Police, the police will initiate the investigations necessary to determine whether there is basis for extradition. The matter of extradition will thereafter be submitted to the Ministry of Justice for decision. The case must be handled in accordance with Greenlandic law, e.g. the extradition act applicable to Greenland and the Criminal Law for Greenland.