Paul Watson extradited to Japan? “The case is highly political,” protests Lamya Essemlali
You just returned from a trip to Greenland. Did you get to meet Paul Watson?
I arrived in Nuuk 3 days after Paul’s arrest. I stayed there for three weeks and after a week back in France, I’m back. I can see Paul almost every day, we’re allowed two hours, sometimes three. During my visits I bring him postcards, stamps so he can answer the many letters he receives, paper, books… And then we discuss his case, but not only that. We also talk about lots of other things. In prison with him, only one of his co-detainees speaks English and he’s going to leave soon.
What are the next steps?
The hearing on Wednesday, September 4th will allow the judge to decide whether to keep Paul in detention or release him while awaiting the decision of the Ministry of Justice on a potential extradition. It is not the Greenland Court that will decide on an extradition but the Supreme Court of Denmark, or the Ministry of Justice. If an extradition is validated, we will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights because the charges, in addition to being false, are derisory and cannot justify an extradition. They do not even justify detention. This case is highly political, Justice, if it expressed itself freely, would have already ruled on his release.
