COPENHAGEN, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson, jailed in Greenland and awaiting possible extradition to Japan, has asked President Emmanuel Macron for political asylum in France, his Captain Paul Watson Foundation said on Wednesday .

Watson, a 73-year-old US-Canadian and founder of the conservation group Sea Shepherd, was stopped by police as his ship docked at the port of Nuuk in Greenland on July 21.

Since then, he has been held in Greenland, a Danish autonomous region, while Denmark decides whether to extradite him to Japan.

Japan issued an international arrest warrant for him more than a decade ago. He is accused of breaking into a Japanese ship in the Antarctic Ocean in 2010, obstructing its operations and causing injuries and property damage.

Watson’s detention was extended to October 23 earlier this month.

Watson, who denies all allegations against him, faces up to 15 years in prison if he is extradited to Japan and convicted there, according to his lawyers.

(Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024.

Unlock exclusive insights today!

Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and lively community discussions.