Update on the 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 Danish Ministry of Justice has received a formal extradition request regarding Paul Watson from the Japanese authorities. On the 7th of August the Ministry of Justice physically received the documents for the extradition request in verified form. On 26th of August the Ministry of Justice forwarded the case to Greenland Police, as the Danish Ministry of Justice has not found any grounds to, prima facie, reject the extradition request from the Japanese Authorities.

The Danish Ministry of Justice has received statements from the Danish Director of Public Prosecutions and Greenland Police on the basis of an investigation of the case. The Danish Ministry of Justice is currently processing the extradition request, and the Ministry will – on that basis – soon make a decision in the case. If a decision is made to extradite, the decision can be brought before the courts.

On the 2^nd of December 2024 the Greenlandic court decided to prolong the detention of Paul Watson until the 18^th of December. The decision to prolong the detention has subsequently been appealed to the Greenlandic High Court.

On the 17^th of December 2024 the Danish Ministry of Justice decided not to fulfil the request by the authorities of Japan for extradition of Paul Watson. The decision is based on an overall assessment of the case.

On the 30^th of July 2024, the authorities of Japan made a request for extradition of the American-Canadian citizen Paul Watson for the purpose of criminal prosecution in Japan for two offenses committed against a Japanese ship in Antarctica in February 2010.

The extradition request has been processed in accordance with the Greenlandic Extradition Act, which specifies a number of conditions, which must be met. It should be noted that there is no extradition treaty with Japan.

Both the Danish Director of Public Prosecutions and Greenland Police have made a review of the case, and have – on that basis – submitted their statements regarding the case to the Danish Ministry of Justice. It follows from the statements, that the authorities have assessed, that the conditions for extradition are met.

In light of the total amount of time that Paul Watson would be expected to be detained until a possible decision on extradition could be implemented, and taking into account the nature of the offences, for which he is sought for extradition, and the fact that the offences are more than 14 years old, the Danish Ministry of Justice requested on the 27th of November 2024 – through the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs – that the authorities of Japan provide information regarding, whether the time, Paul Watson has been detained in Greenland, will be deducted from a possible custodial sentence that he might be sentenced to in connection with the criminal case in Japan.

There has, subsequently, been a correspondence between the Danish Ministry of Justice and the authorities of Japan regarding this matter. Based on the correspondence with the authorities of Japan, the Danish Ministry of Justice has assessed that it cannot be assumed with the necessary degree of certainty that the time, Paul Watson has been detained in Greenland, will be fully deducted from a potential custodial sentence that he might be sentenced to in connection with the criminal case in Japan.

Against this background, and taking into account the nature and age of the offences that the extradition request concerns, the Danish Ministry of Justice has decided – based on an overall assessment of the case – not to fulfil the request by the authorities of Japan for the extradition of Paul Franklin Watson, cf. Section 15 of the Greenlandic Extradition Act.

Paul Watson and his legal defence team, along with Greenland Police, on whose request Paul Watson has been held in custody, have been informed of the decision made by the Danish Ministry of Justice.