Last Sunday on May 13th, Capt. Paul Watson was arrested at a Frankfurt, Germany airport while on his way to France. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's leader was apprehended on a warrant from Costa Rica over his involvement in an April 2002 incident that occurred as he was helping to combat shark poaching around Cocos Island. A Costa Rican fisherman has made a charge that Paul Watson tried to kill him during that time. Why it has taken 10 years for this charge to come out is extremely suspect.
Meanwhile a German Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt has confirmed that they would go ahead with plans to extradite the Sea Shepherd Captain back to Costa Rica, squashing previous hopes of an imminent release. Paul Watson will stay in Germany until Costa Rica supplies the German court with the correct extradition papers.
It was reported on Friday that Watson will be released on bail Monday, May 21st. Sea Shepherd's spokesman, Peter Hammarstedt, said that Watson would spend the weekend in jail and be released once the €250,000 bail funds were available. Captain Paul Watson will hold a Press conference outside Preungesheim prison in Frankfurt, Germany at 1pm on Monday May 21st.
The conservation society plans to continue with efforts to halt the extradition of Paul Watson to Costa Rica. In a press statement, SSCS said they will push forward with the International Campaign to:
"Save Captain Paul Watson from a politically-motivated extradition to Costa Rica where he will not receive a fair trial, nor is it likely that he would even survive jail to see the inside of a courtroom."
Costa Rica's prisons are in very poor condition and very dangerous. On top of that the Taiwanese shark fin mafia in Costa Rica has made threats on Captain Paul Watson’s life and placed a $20,000 bounty on his head. Costa Rica is one of the world’s largest exporters of shark fins, a trade thought to be worth millions of dollars and controlled by the Taiwanese mafia.
Posted below is a statement made by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. It is important to still contact the German Ministers about releasing Paul Watson completely from extradition to Costa Rica. Their contact info is posted below also.
May 19, 2012
S.O.S. Day – Save Our Skipper – Wednesday May 23rd
"For the past week, we have implored Sea Shepherd supporters to write to the Honorable German Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs. The decision to release Captain Watson on bail this Monday is the unmistakable result of the thousands of letters, emails, faxes, and phone calls that were sent this week. Granting bail to a non-German national is almost unheard of in an extradition proceeding.
While we have won a victory with the decision to allow Captain Paul Watson out on bail, the battle to save his life must now intensify. The Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt has confirmed together with the General Public Prosecutor that the authority to save Captain Paul Watson’s life belongs to the Honorable German Minister of Justice. Continue to write, call, email, and fax the Honorable German Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs.
These Honorable Ministers must see their way clear to act now as delineated by the General Public Prosecutor and Higher Regional Court. Captain Paul Watson is expecting his supporters worldwide to take our demands to save his life to the doorsteps of Germany’s diplomatic missions around the globe. We are calling for a Global Day of Action on Wednesday May 23rd. On this day the President of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, will be visiting German Chancellor Merkel in Berlin. Wednesday May 23rd is S.O.S. Day – Save Our Skipper!
All around the world, Sea Shepherds will be making our voices heard at German embassies and consulates between 1100 and 1300 hours (local time). Organize or join the cacophony of voices at the closest German embassy or consulate and demand Captain Paul Watson’s freedom. We are confident that through your participation Germany will not carry out an extradition that would be the same as carrying out a death sentence. Captain Paul Watson’s enemies within the shark fin mafia are capable of reaching inside the prisons of Costa Rica. If extradited to Costa Rica, it is unlikely Captain Paul Watson would live to see the inside of a Costa Rican courthouse.
There is no location more important to assemble than where President Chinchilla will begin her head of state visit in Berlin. This meeting will open with full military honors 11:00 am at Schloss Bellevue. Rally to Captain Paul Watson’s side when he personally makes his stand at Schloss Bellevue. Specific details will be forthcoming here and on the Sea Shepherd Germany website.
We ask that Captain Paul Watson’s supporters continue to be respectful in their messaging. We are confident that with your help the President of Costa Rica, the German Chancellor, and Honorable Ministers of Germany will safeguard Captain Paul Watson’s human rights by not bowing to bogus accusations of shark fin poachers who are nothing more than common criminals."
Source ~ Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Meanwhile a German Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt has confirmed that they would go ahead with plans to extradite the Sea Shepherd Captain back to Costa Rica, squashing previous hopes of an imminent release. Paul Watson will stay in Germany until Costa Rica supplies the German court with the correct extradition papers.
It was reported on Friday that Watson will be released on bail Monday, May 21st. Sea Shepherd's spokesman, Peter Hammarstedt, said that Watson would spend the weekend in jail and be released once the €250,000 bail funds were available. Captain Paul Watson will hold a Press conference outside Preungesheim prison in Frankfurt, Germany at 1pm on Monday May 21st.
The conservation society plans to continue with efforts to halt the extradition of Paul Watson to Costa Rica. In a press statement, SSCS said they will push forward with the International Campaign to:
"Save Captain Paul Watson from a politically-motivated extradition to Costa Rica where he will not receive a fair trial, nor is it likely that he would even survive jail to see the inside of a courtroom."
Costa Rica's prisons are in very poor condition and very dangerous. On top of that the Taiwanese shark fin mafia in Costa Rica has made threats on Captain Paul Watson’s life and placed a $20,000 bounty on his head. Costa Rica is one of the world’s largest exporters of shark fins, a trade thought to be worth millions of dollars and controlled by the Taiwanese mafia.
Posted below is a statement made by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. It is important to still contact the German Ministers about releasing Paul Watson completely from extradition to Costa Rica. Their contact info is posted below also.
May 19, 2012
S.O.S. Day – Save Our Skipper – Wednesday May 23rd
"For the past week, we have implored Sea Shepherd supporters to write to the Honorable German Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs. The decision to release Captain Watson on bail this Monday is the unmistakable result of the thousands of letters, emails, faxes, and phone calls that were sent this week. Granting bail to a non-German national is almost unheard of in an extradition proceeding.
While we have won a victory with the decision to allow Captain Paul Watson out on bail, the battle to save his life must now intensify. The Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt has confirmed together with the General Public Prosecutor that the authority to save Captain Paul Watson’s life belongs to the Honorable German Minister of Justice. Continue to write, call, email, and fax the Honorable German Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs.
These Honorable Ministers must see their way clear to act now as delineated by the General Public Prosecutor and Higher Regional Court. Captain Paul Watson is expecting his supporters worldwide to take our demands to save his life to the doorsteps of Germany’s diplomatic missions around the globe. We are calling for a Global Day of Action on Wednesday May 23rd. On this day the President of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, will be visiting German Chancellor Merkel in Berlin. Wednesday May 23rd is S.O.S. Day – Save Our Skipper!
All around the world, Sea Shepherds will be making our voices heard at German embassies and consulates between 1100 and 1300 hours (local time). Organize or join the cacophony of voices at the closest German embassy or consulate and demand Captain Paul Watson’s freedom. We are confident that through your participation Germany will not carry out an extradition that would be the same as carrying out a death sentence. Captain Paul Watson’s enemies within the shark fin mafia are capable of reaching inside the prisons of Costa Rica. If extradited to Costa Rica, it is unlikely Captain Paul Watson would live to see the inside of a Costa Rican courthouse.
There is no location more important to assemble than where President Chinchilla will begin her head of state visit in Berlin. This meeting will open with full military honors 11:00 am at Schloss Bellevue. Rally to Captain Paul Watson’s side when he personally makes his stand at Schloss Bellevue. Specific details will be forthcoming here and on the Sea Shepherd Germany website.
We ask that Captain Paul Watson’s supporters continue to be respectful in their messaging. We are confident that with your help the President of Costa Rica, the German Chancellor, and Honorable Ministers of Germany will safeguard Captain Paul Watson’s human rights by not bowing to bogus accusations of shark fin poachers who are nothing more than common criminals."
Source ~ Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Please call, email, and fax the following German Ministers:
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger
Federal Minister of Justice
Deutscher Bundestag
Platz der Republik 1
11011 Berlin
Telephone 030 - 227 751 62 from outside Germany dial +49 302 277 5162
Fax 030 - 227 764 02 from outside Germany dial +49 302 277 6402
E-Mail: sabine.leutheusser-schnarrenberger@bundestag.de
Federal Ministry of Justice
Mohrenstrasse 37
10117 Berlin
Germany
Telephone: +49 (030) 18 580-0
Telefax: +49 (030) 18 580-9525
Dr. Guido Westerwelle - Minister of Foreign Affairs
FDP-Bundestagsfraktion
Platz der Republik 1
11011 Berlin
Tel.: 030 / 22771636 from outside Germany +49 302 277 1636
Fax: 030 / 22776562 from outside Germany +49 302 277 6562
E-Mail: guido.westerwelle@bundestag.de
VIDEO The real reason for Captain Paul Watson's arrest and potential extradition to Costa Rica
PETITION Free Captain Paul Watson
Aloha, Capt. Paul Watson is the guardian of the seas. Without him and the Sea Shepherds humans greed will kill the oceans and in turn kill ourselves....
I support everything Capt. Paul Watson stands for and he needs to be free to do the work God has put him here to do....