Anti-whaling veteran and top sea dog at Sea Shepherd, Captain Paul Watson has been arrested in Germany on a Costa Rican arrest warrant.
Captain Watson was detained at Frankfurt airport on Sunday for potential extradition relating to an incident that occurred ten (yes, ten) years ago off the coast of Guatemala, where Sea Shepherd intervened in a shark-finning operation. They were filming a documentary called Sharkwater at the time.
At the time, Costa Rican authorities examined the footage but didn't press any charges – however ten years down the line and a new set of prosecutors have decide to have a pop, filing charges that have lain in wait for Watson since October 2011.
Activists across Europe have mobilised to put pressure on the German authorities to release Watson. Things are looking hopeful as INTERPOL have declared that it is not satisfied that the request from Costa Rica is in compliance with INTERPOL’s Constitutions and Rules.
Sea Shepherd had this to say “As Sea Shepherd becomes increasingly more effective at protecting marine wildlife globally, the enemies of the oceans are using all their resources to stop us.”