In 2024 the Captain Paul Watsonhistorical founder of the movement Sea Shepherdwas arrested in Greenland while he was refueling to his boat. An event that mobilized the whole world given because the arrest did not take place for a crime, but for his Fight to defense of whales and marine life.
Behind the detention there was one Red Notice issued by Japan via Interpolconnected to watson’s past actions against whale hunting in Antarctica. However, the situation proved to be more complex and ambiguous than it seemed. The notification, which was thought to have been withdrawn, was actually remaining active but reservedprobably to facilitate the arrest without alerting the captain.
The arrest kicked off a period of almost five months of uncertaintywith Watson held up waiting for a possible extradition to Japan. Only close to the final decision, the Denmark rejected the requestrecognizing the weakness of the Japanese case e releasing watson. The case aroused international indignation, not only for its nature, but also for the Political pressure that seem to have influenced its origin.
The reasons for the suspension
Well, now the Commission for control of Interpol files has decided to suspend the red notice (The function of a Red Notice Interpol is to identify and arrest a person sought by a certain country provisionally), highlighting serious violations of fundamental rights and questioning the legitimacy of the entire procedure. Among the reasons indicated: the evident political motivation of the mandate, the absence of proportionality, and the high risk of unfair process or mistreatment in the event of extradition.
With the removal of the mandate from Interpol’s IT system, none of his 196 members can more act against Watson. This he returned his freedom of movement And it represents an important step forward in his battle for the truth.
In the meantime, the captain continues to be one leading voice in the defense of the oceans. Is expected as a speaker at the UN Conference on the Oceans (UNOC3) of June 2025, in Nice, where he will bring his testimony and vision for a more just and sustainable marine future. This story is a clear signal :.
