Paul Watson is finally a free man and has been released from a Greenlandic prison after Denmark declined Japan’s request for his extradition.

Paul Watson is a Canadian environmentalist and a co-founder of Greenpeace. However, he is best known for establishing the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in 1977, an organization focused on direct action to protect marine life. Watson has been a controversial figure, celebrated by supporters for his daring tactics to stop illegal whaling, seal hunting, and shark finning.

Over the years, Watson and his organization have been involved in high-profile confrontations with whaling fleets, particularly those from Japan, Iceland, and Norway. These countries often exploit legal loopholes or reject international bans on whaling, citing cultural traditions or scientific research as justifications. Watson’s bold interventions have included ramming whaling ships, deploying propeller-fouling devices, and using drones to track illegal activities.

Watson was arrested on July 21, 2024, and had been detained for five months when his ship docked in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital. Japan had asked Denmark to hand over Watson so he could be tried in Japan. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark.

The arrest had been based on a warrant issued by Japan in 2012 that accused Mr. Watson of interfering with a whaling ship and causing injury to one of its crew members in 2010. Over the years, he and Sea Shepherd have employed direct-action tactics, including blocking harpoons, chasing whaling vessels, and documenting illegal activities. While these efforts have been lauded by environmentalists, they have made Watson a target of legal actions from countries with vested interests in whaling.

Read More: Sea Shepherd Founder and Anti-Whaling Activist Paul Watson Arrested in Greenland on Japanese Warrant

Denmark’s Ministry of Justice stated that the decision to release Watson was based on a thorough evaluation, taking into account the age of the case and, most importantly, the uncertainty surrounding whether the time Watson spent in detention in Greenland would be credited toward any potential sentence in Japan.

“The decision is based on an overall assessment of the case,” said Peter Hummelgaard, Denmark’s minister for justice. “In light of the total amount of time that Paul Watson would be expected to be detained until a possible decision on extradition could be implemented, and taking into account the nature and age of the offences, it has been of particular importance for the Danish Ministry of Justice to ensure that the time Paul Watson has been detained in Greenland will be fully deducted from a potential custodial sentence that he might be sentenced to in connection with the criminal case in Japan.”

“Based on the correspondence with the authorities of Japan regarding this matter, the Danish Ministry of Justice has assessed that it cannot be assumed with the necessary degree of certainty, that this would be the case.”

Japan expressed disappointment with Denmark’s decision, maintaining that the charges against Watson were criminal, not political. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi reiterated Japan’s stance: “This is not about whaling; this is about law and justice. We will continue to pursue appropriate measures.”

Environmentalists, however, saw Watson’s release as a victory. Greenpeace, PETA, and other organizations lauded Denmark for standing up against what they called a politically motivated extradition request.

Notably, French President Emmanuel Macron and the city of Paris, which recently granted Watson honorary citizenship, have been vocal in their support.

For Watson, the ordeal has been both exhausting and reaffirming. Speaking to reporters after his release, he said, “I think it all backfired on Japan, because this has put enormous focus on Japan’s continued illegal whaling operations. So my time here for five months has actually served a purpose. It’s been an opportunity to continue to expose Japan’s illegal whaling activities.”

Watson plans to return to France, where he hopes to spend Christmas with his wife and young son. “I’ve missed so much time with my family, but I know they understand why I do what I do. This isn’t just a fight for whales—it’s a fight for the future of our planet.”

He pledged to continue fighting. “I’ve had five months of not really doing much, so I’m not really tired,” he said. “But we have a ship, being prepared, to oppose Icelandic whaling operations in June next year. And we have a ship in Australia that is ready to intervene against Japan if they return to the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary. So we’re prepared to take action when we need to.”

While Watson is free, the battle against whaling is far from over. Japan, along with Iceland and Norway, continues to defy international bans, exploiting loopholes or simply rejecting global agreements. Watson’s release has reignited the conversation about the role of activism in holding nations accountable for environmental crimes.