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Watson’s lawyers insist he is innocent and say they have video footage proving the crew member was not on deck when the stink bomb was thrown. The Nuuk court has refused to view the video.
One of Watson’s lawyers, Finn Meinel, told AFP the legal proceedings were “very disappointing”.
“We are still not allowed to present the evidence showing that the case brought against Paul has no basis,” he said.
The custody hearings are solely about Watson’s detention, with the extradition request being reviewed by Denmark’s justice ministry.
Meinel said he expected the ministry to decide on the extradition before the next detention hearing.
In September, Watson’s lawyers contacted the UN special rapporteur on environmental defenders, claiming that he could be “subjected to inhumane treatment” in Japanese prisons.
‘Brave man’
Watson had been living in France at the time of his arrest and has written to French President Emmanuel Macron to ask for political asylum.
World-respected British conservationist Jane Goodall told AFP last week she hoped France would accept his plea, calling him a “brave man”.
As Watson’s hearing began on Wednesday, several dozen supporters demonstrated outside city hall in Paris, chanting “Free Paul Watson” and holding signs reading “A hero doesn’t belong in prison” and “Saving whales is not a crime”.
French officials have previously urged Copenhagen not to extradite him, but have said that a person must be in France to file an asylum claim.
Japan, Norway and Iceland are the only three countries that still allow commercial whaling.
(AFP)
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Publish date : 2024-10-23 05:35:00
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