SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
German Court Seeks Extradition for Missing Activist, Sea Shepherd Captain
Paul Watson breaks bail, heads for 'unspecified destination'
Jul 25, 2012
A German court issued an extradition request Wednesday for environmental activist Paul Watson, founder of marine conservation group Sea Shepherd, after reports revealed that Watson had skipped his bail in the country and could not be found. The call is the second extradition request in one year for Watson who had been arrested in Frankfurt following a previous extradition request from authorities in Costa Rica.
Costa Rican authorities have sought Watson's extradition since May, relating to charges of "violating ships traffic" and "putting a ship's crew in danger". The charges stem from a 2002 incident, when Watson's boat, the Sea Shepherd, intercepted a Costa Rican shark-finning boat off the cost of Guatemala, during a campaign to stop widespread illegal shark killing.
Watson, who was filming a documentary about his work at the time, maintains that his actions did not break the law and that he did not place lives in danger; however, he was detained in Germany in May after Costa Rican officials re-opened the case.
Watson's lawyer has now informed German authorities that he has left the country "for an unspecified destination," breaking the conditions of his bail.
In an interview directly after his May arrest, Watson told Agence France-Presse that Sea Shepherd will continue its work even if he is tried and jailed: "They hope that by getting me out of the way, they'll shut down our operations. They won't."
"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 said.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A German court issued an extradition request Wednesday for environmental activist Paul Watson, founder of marine conservation group Sea Shepherd, after reports revealed that Watson had skipped his bail in the country and could not be found. The call is the second extradition request in one year for Watson who had been arrested in Frankfurt following a previous extradition request from authorities in Costa Rica.
Costa Rican authorities have sought Watson's extradition since May, relating to charges of "violating ships traffic" and "putting a ship's crew in danger". The charges stem from a 2002 incident, when Watson's boat, the Sea Shepherd, intercepted a Costa Rican shark-finning boat off the cost of Guatemala, during a campaign to stop widespread illegal shark killing.
Watson, who was filming a documentary about his work at the time, maintains that his actions did not break the law and that he did not place lives in danger; however, he was detained in Germany in May after Costa Rican officials re-opened the case.
Watson's lawyer has now informed German authorities that he has left the country "for an unspecified destination," breaking the conditions of his bail.
In an interview directly after his May arrest, Watson told Agence France-Presse that Sea Shepherd will continue its work even if he is tried and jailed: "They hope that by getting me out of the way, they'll shut down our operations. They won't."
"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 said.
A German court issued an extradition request Wednesday for environmental activist Paul Watson, founder of marine conservation group Sea Shepherd, after reports revealed that Watson had skipped his bail in the country and could not be found. The call is the second extradition request in one year for Watson who had been arrested in Frankfurt following a previous extradition request from authorities in Costa Rica.
Costa Rican authorities have sought Watson's extradition since May, relating to charges of "violating ships traffic" and "putting a ship's crew in danger". The charges stem from a 2002 incident, when Watson's boat, the Sea Shepherd, intercepted a Costa Rican shark-finning boat off the cost of Guatemala, during a campaign to stop widespread illegal shark killing.
Watson, who was filming a documentary about his work at the time, maintains that his actions did not break the law and that he did not place lives in danger; however, he was detained in Germany in May after Costa Rican officials re-opened the case.
Watson's lawyer has now informed German authorities that he has left the country "for an unspecified destination," breaking the conditions of his bail.
In an interview directly after his May arrest, Watson told Agence France-Presse that Sea Shepherd will continue its work even if he is tried and jailed: "They hope that by getting me out of the way, they'll shut down our operations. They won't."
"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 said.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy