(16 Oct 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Paris, France – 16 October 2024
1. Wide of Sea Shepherd members during press conference
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Lamya Essemlali, President of Sea Shepherd France:
"Paul Watson (Sea Shepherd founder) is officially requesting political asylum to (French) president, Emmanuel Macron. So, he wrote a letter in prison that he gave me and it has been presented to the president through his counsellors. In his letter he explains why he wants political asylum in France. It hasn’t been unnoticed that France has been ahead of the defence of Paul Watson for many reasons. Paul is very attached to France. It’s also the second largest marine territory. It means a lot, ocean conservation means a lot. Sea Shepherd France has been very, very active in France over the past 18 years. And Paul is living in France now with his family."
3. Mid of Sea Shepherd members at press conference
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Lamya Essemlali, President of Sea Shepherd France:
"I have been in touch with him regularly since the beginning until, for a reason that we do not know, the prison decided to stop all the calls coming from his dear ones. Only his lawyers are allowed to talk to him on the phone and we do not know why. So the only way I can see him and talk to him now is when I am physically present in Nuuk (Greenland). But last time I saw him was two weeks ago and he was feeling a bit down knowing that this is obviously a miscarriage of justice. Every time there is a hearing and there is no evidence that’s being shown."
5. Wide of Sea Shepherd members at press conference
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Lamya Essemlali, President of Sea Shepherd France:
"During the last hearing the prosecutor actually said that Paul had the intention to injure people which is very, very concerning knowing that she’s saying that based on nothing except her own opinion. And this is very disturbing because we don’t feel like he’s getting a neutral treatment."
7. Wide of Sea Shepherd members at press conference
STORYLINE:
Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson, known for his decades-long fight against Japanese whaling and arrested in Greenland in July, has asked France’s president for political asylum, Sea Shepherd France said on Wednesday.
Watson faces extradition to Japan, where he could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.
He was detained after a Japanese request to Interpol over his confrontational tactics aimed at disrupting Japanese whaling operations in the Antarctic.
Sea Shepherd France told journalists they delivered a letter from Watson “in the last few days” to French President Emmanuel Macron, who previously expressed his support for Watson and emphasized the importance of the case to environmental advocacy and human rights.
"He wrote a letter in prison that he gave me and it has been presented to the president through his counsellors,” said the group’s president, Lamya Essemlali.
“Paul is very attached to France. It’s also the second largest marine territory. It means a lot, ocean conservation means a lot. Sea Shepherd France has been very, very active in France over the past 18 years. And Paul is living in France now with his family,” she added.
Watson was “down” and “isolated,” but is “resilient,” she said.
Jean Tamalet, a lawyer associated with Sea Shepherd France, emphasized that the call for political asylum is largely symbolic and aimed at securing his release.
For decades, Watson has led high-profile confrontations with whaling ships in the Southern Ocean.
Danish authorities are reviewing Japan’s request for his extradition.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/58280ca05d52465db75b1d25842d0c84
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in October 21, 2024, 6:05 pm.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
