According to a French asylum agency document seen on Tuesday, NGO Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson has been refused political asylum in France.The dual US/Canadian citizen has an outstanding arrest warrant from Japan relating to damage caused to a Japanese whaling ship in 2010.
Francehas refused to grant politicalasylumto anti-whalingactivist Paul Watson, who is under an arrest warrant fromJapan, rejecting his plea that he faced arrest in his native Canada or in the United States.
Ofpra, the French agency that handles asylum cases, said his fears were unfounded, as both the United States and Canada are democracies governed by the rule of law," according to a document seen by AFP on Tuesday.
Watson, 74, who holds both US and Canadian citizenship, is the founder of Sea Shepherd.
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He wasdetained in Greenlandfor five months last year beforeDenmark rejected an extradition requestfrom Japan, which accused him of joint responsibility for damage and injuries aboard a Japanese whaling ship in 2010, as part of a campaign led by the NGO Sea Shepherd.
He arrived in France at the end of 2024 and applied for asylum in February.
Watson said he is disappointed by Ofpras decision, but added that he hopes to acquire French citizenship.
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In its decision, Ofpra said Watson provided no serious evidence to suggest that he would not be able to assert his rights under regular extradition procedures should he be arrested in Canada or the United States.
France is not honouring itself by refusing political asylum to Paul Watson, his lawyer, Emmanuel Ludot, said.
Japan maintains its international arrest warrant, so he is still in danger, wherever he may travel.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Originally published on France24
