Costa Rica assures fair trial for Paul Watson

24 May 2012, 3:59 pm   -   Source: AP
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Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson is facing extradition to Costa Rica. (AAP)

Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson is facing extradition to Costa Rica. (AAP)

Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla says anti-whaling activist Paul Watson will have a fair trial if extradited to the Central American country following his arrest in Germany.

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Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla said Wednesday that anti-whaling activist Paul Watson would have a fair trial if extradited to the Central American country following his arrest in Germany.
  
"If Paul Watson is extradited to Costa Rica he will have legal proceedings that strictly keep to constitutional principles and the international standards which have to be applied in this type of case," she said.
  
Chinchilla, speaking at a press conference with German President Joachim Gauck during a visit to Berlin, stressed that her country had a "completely independent justice" system.
  
Watson, 61, the leader of the Sea Shepherd organisation noted for its muscular attacks on Japanese whalers, was arrested at Frankfurt airport in western Germany on May 14 and detained for a week before being released on bail.
  
German authorities are deciding whether he can be extradited to Costa Rica on charges stemming from a high-seas confrontation over shark finning in 2002. He is accused of "putting a ship's crew in danger".
  
He said in a telephone interview with AFP Tuesday that he had "no reason to believe that the Costa Rican legal system would not give me a fair trial".
  
"My concern is not for the judicial system, but for the reality that the shark fin mafia of Costa Rica has a price on my head and a Costa Rican prison would provide an excellent opportunity for someone to exercise this lethal contract against me," he said.
  
"We have cost the shark finners a great deal of money over the last two decades and they want their revenge. I would need absolute assurance that the Costa Rican authorities would not place me in a position to jeopardise my safety when I return to Costa Rica to prove my innocence in court."
  
Sea Shepherd claims it was escorting an illegal shark finning ship back to port when the crew falsely accused the organisation's members of trying to kill them.
  
Watson said it was unusual that an extradition order should be issued for "a relatively minor offence, where no one was injured and no property damaged."
  
He suggested that Japan might be "putting pressure" on Germany to carry out the order.
  
"It may be more than coincidental that the extradition order was put out in October 2011 at around the same time that the Japanese brought civil charges against us -- and lost -- in a Seattle court," he said.
  
On the sidelines of Chincilla's visit to the German capital, Watson joined several hundred of his supporters who were shouting "Free Paul Watson!" for a protest in front of the Victory Column in central Berlin.
  
He had told AFP he would have to be back in Frankfurt by 5:00 pm to report to the police.
  
Shepherd also vowed Tuesday that Sea Shepherd's campaigns against would go on without him and voiced suspicions that Japan was behind his arrest.
  
"This is not about me. It is about our oceans and the ever-escalating threat of diminishment of the diversity of life in our seas. It is about the sharks, the whales, the seals, the sea turtles and the fish," he told AFP.
  
"They hope that by getting me out of the way, they'll shut down our operations. They won't," he said.
  
Sea Shepherd's ships would continue to "defend sharks in the South Pacific, whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary" and dolphins in Taiji, Japan, he added in a statement.
  
The Canadian national is well known for his pursuit and harassment of Japanese whaling boats off Antarctica, which in recent years has significantly reduced the number of animals slaughtered.
  

 

Sea Shepherd , Paul Watson

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Watson's crimes are catching up with him

Ben Hamilton - from Jindabyne, NSW, 12 months ago

Those supporters of Watson didn't know he was alive until whale wars the TV show , no one knew who hw was or knew anything about him. These same people think Watson is a god who walks on water when the truth is anything but. Watson must be brought to trial for his crimes, lies, assualts, harrassment, stalking of innocent victims, criminal bahaviour over forty years. He is a cunning charlatan liar. Eberything he says is a lie as he promotes lying. Good riddance indeed.

People in glass houses....

Jim Tracey - from Melbourne, 1 year

Violence, terrorism Hideyoshi?? Have you seen any footage of a Japanese whaling ship lately? Paul Watson is hero in the eyes of those of us who view the ocean's magnificent inhabitants as more than just 'meat' to be unlawfully harvested.

Obese old thug

Hideyoshi Toyotomi - from Japan, 1 year

Marguerite, Paul is not a registered captain so please don't call him that. It lends him a credibility and respectability that he simply does not have. What he does have, however, is criminal convictions and it seems like he may soon have another to add to his disgraceful tally. This violent thug claims to be in it for the maritime life. But what he really craves more than anything is publicity and money - not for his alleged cause, but for himself. Say no to violence and terrorism.

Fortune favours the brave

Jim Tracey - from Melbourne, 1 year

Shame Japan shame - the world will be safer for who? Certainly not whales where Japan is concerned! Clearly all you can do is make it personal l because the criminals around the world slaughtering innocent sea creatures have absolutely no legs to stand on .

Not so fast Hideyoshi

magdalena steplewski - from Calgary, 1 year

I always am suprised with a hate japanese people have towards the enviromental sea activists. Maybe it is because they treat oceans as a nothing more than a free snack bar, and they have no responsible policy towards the global enviroment. They do nothing but take from the resorces with a shameless greediness. Well globalisation is a bitch. If japanese want us to conserve the energy so Japan doesnt get flooded by raising level of seas they should start to cooperate.

Germany and Japan together again!

Gregory Sutton - from Townsville, 1 year

Lets not forget what happened the last time these two countries were in bed together. If Paul Watson is convicted, I will personally sail my boat south next whaling season and defend my countries territorial waters, even though my own government won't, to protect these magnificent creatures from Japanese bento boxes.

Free Watson

Michael Turng - from Wisconsin, 1 year

If anyone should be arrested in this case, it's the crew of the illegal fishing boats. There's no question that what they're doing is illegal, but they've got so much money that people don't want to mess with them. Sea Shepherd is the only group that stands up to them. Arrest the fishers and free Captain Watson.

MS

Marguerite - from Mossman, 1 year

How dare anyone address Captain Paul Watson in such a demeaning way. Not only has he worked for creatures worldwilde but he has put his life on hold and his life is totally for the animals. I have such admiration for him for the care that he & others on the ships have. Aso for others around the world . We need to help, support and admire people like Captain Paul. Where will the creatures of the sea be without him. THINK ABOUT IT. Marguerite Cordell

The world will be a better place because of this man's principals

Mona - from Australia, 1 year

It is about our oceans and the ever-escalating threat of diminishment of the diversity of life in our seas. It is about the sharks, the whales, the seals, the sea turtles and the fish, The Japanese continue to denigrate the seas without a care in the world.The Now of feeding 100 million people, to Hell with the future. "putting a ship's crew in danger"?? that's not why they want him imprisoned. I feel like donating at the Sea Shepherd stall at West End markets this very week end

Defense not over yet

Rashid - from Brisbane, 1 year

It is so sad to read the above comment. People like you don't deserve the chance for life! Sharks. Whales and all sea animals need our protection and they don't belong to anyone but to the nature! I hope the defense for these vulnerable animals will not STOP after Steve!!

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