May 16, 2012

[Contactmusic.com]

French film icon-turned-animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has offered to switch places with a marine conservation group leader, who has been arrested and imprisoned in Germany.

Canadian Paul Watson, the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and a former Greenpeace campaigner, is accused of endangering the crew onboard a shark-finning ship after confronting them in the waters of Costa Rica in 2002.

He was arrested on an international warrant in Frankfurt, Germany on Sunday (13May12), and on Monday (14May12), German officials remanded him in custody.

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full story:
http://www.contactmusic.com/news/brigitte-bardot-offers-to-swap-places-with-imprisoned-animal-rights-activist_1328527

http://exposingthebiggame.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/travesty-of-justice/

Travesty of Justice

May 15, 2012 by Exposing the Big Game

Over the weekend, Sea Shepherd's Captain Paul Watson was arrested in Germany on a warrant issued by Costa Rica for a bogus ten-year-old "violation of ships traffic" that allegedly occurred when Sea Shepherd encountered a shark finning operation run by a Costa Rican ship. Arresting someone like Paul Watson, who has dedicated his entire life to defending the life of our oceans against illegal and destructive acts, calls into question the very notion of justice in today's world.

In his foreword to my book, Exposing the Big Game, Captain Watson writes:

"There is only one vicious creature stalking the wilderness and that is the hominid primate that has become a divine legend in its own mind. The enemy is us and the real challenge is to subdue the destructive urges within each of us and to channel those urges in the direction of affirming life and not taking it. The primitive man is a killer ape, the evolved man or woman is a shepherd protecting life. ...

"The cruelty and destruction that humans have inflicted upon each other is surpassed only by the cruelty and destruction humans have inflicted upon the non-human citizens of this world. �

"It's time to make peace with our fellow citizens, to live in harmony with them and to understand that those who today club seals, harpoon whales, shoot bears, trap beaver, hook a shark, or blast a goose with a shotgun will be viewed in the future in the same light as we now view slavers, warlords, gangsters and politicians."

Surely not the words of a dangerous criminal, but perhaps those of someone who is a danger to a corrupt and vicious system. We need people like Paul Watson to shine the light on the real criminals of the world and expose their crimes against the thousands of voiceless victims of an over-consumptive society.

For updates and information on how you can help:
http://www.seashepherd.org/
And to sign the petition to free Captain Watson:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/663/009/291/release-paul-watson/

Urgent Call to Sea Shepherd Supporters - Help Save Captain Watson from Extradition to Costa Rica!

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2012/05/15/urgent-call-to-sea-shepherd-supporters-help-save-captain-watson-from-extradition-to-costa-rica-1376

In shocking news, German officials have decided to proceed with the extradition of Captain Watson to Costa Rica. Our last hope of saving Captain Watson from extradition is to convince German officials at the Ministry of Justice to step in and overturn their decision. Show your support for Captain Watson by contacting Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, the Federal Minister of Justice in Berlin, Germany. Let her know that the warrant for Captain Watson's arrest is politically motivated and thus should be ignored by the German government. With international support we can set Captain Watson free, and keep him from the possibility of facing an unfair trial in Costa Rica.

Please contact: (Please be respectful in your communications)

Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger
Federal Minister of Justice
Deutscher Bundestag
Platz der Republik
11011 Berlin

Telephone 030 - 227 751 62
Fax 030 - 227 764 02

E-Mail: sabine.leutheusser-schnarrenberger@bundestag.de

Cc:
guido.westerwelle@bundestag.de
poststelle@auswaertiges-amt.de
poststelle@bmj.bund.de

angela.merkel@cdu.de
bundespraesidialamt@bpra.bund.de
bundespraesident@bpra.bund.de

Federal Ministry of Justice
Mohrenstrasse 37
10117 Berlin, Germany

Telephone: +49 (030) 18 580-0
Telefax: +49 (030) 18 580-9525
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Sample Letter:

Dear Ms Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger,

I was very concerned to hear that Germany has detained Sea Shepherd's Captain Paul Watson for possible extradition to Costa Rica. I understand that the warrant for Captain Watson's arrest is politically motivated and possibly due to an incident in which Sea Shepherd uncovered an illegal shark finning operation.

I support Sea Shepherd's efforts to monitor and publicise illegal fishing and whaling around the world and recognize that some illegal fishing operations try to use international law to shut down the Sea Shepherd operations. I urge you to consider the valuable work Captain Watson and Sea Shepherd are undertaking globally to highlight the dangers to our oceans in considering this extradition request.

Sincerely,

Your Name.