Environmentalist Paul Watson applies for French nationality

After requesting political asylum in France, Paul Watson requested French nationality, lawyer Jean Tamalet, coordinator of his defense team, announced Thursday. The environmental activist is currently detained in Greenland, and wanted by Japan for acts linked to its fight against whaling.

This request was made on Wednesday, said Jean Tamalet, estimating that it “takes on its full meaning when we realize that, since 1977, he has done everything possible to protect the marine ecosystem where France has the second largest maritime coastline. in the world.” In a handwritten letter addressed to Emmanuel Macron, Paul Watson had previously requested political asylum in France, but this request encountered certain difficulties, in particular because the applicant must in principle be on French territory to make it.

He expressed his eagerness to “return to France and become a French citizen”

The Minister of Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, also indicated Thursday morning on France Info that France would call for the release of the 73-year-old American-Canadian from Denmark. We will “reiterate with the President of the Republic the fact that the facts with which he is accused, from our point of view, do not motivate, do not justify detention, and indeed call for the release of Paul Watson,” declared the minister.

Asked on Wednesday as he left the court by the Greenlandic public channel KNR to know if he had a message to send to Emmanuel Macron, the founder of Sea Shepherd replied: “Thank you”, in French, and said he was eager to “return to France and become a French citizen.

The fierce opponent of whaling was kept in detention on Wednesday until November 13 by the Greenlandic justice system while awaiting the Danish government’s decision on Japan’s extradition request.