New Zealand anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune faces 15 years in a Japanese jail after he was charged with trespassing aboard whaling vessel the Shonan Maru II.
Bethune scaled the deck from a jet ski on February 15. He also faces charges that include injuring a crewman, carrying a weapon and vandalism after he boarded a whaling fleet ship in the Antarctic.
Greens leader Senator Bob Brown says it is unjust that the captain of the Sea Shepherd is facing such a severe sentence.
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"It is Japanese whalers who should be facing charges under Australian law for endangering lives, not Sea Shepherd captain Pete Bethune," said Senator Brown.
"It is absolutely unjust that Captain Pete Bethune is facing up to 15 years in prison in Japan."
He said the Australian Federal Police are investigating an official complaint by Sea Shepherd over the ramming and sinking of protest vessel Ady Gil by Japanese whaling vessel Shonan Maru 2.
"Under Australian law the captain of the Shonan Maru 2 should be tried and face life imprisonment for his actions, which endangered the lives of six people," Senator Brown said.
