On World Oceans Day, India demands Justice for whales and their defenders

One year and Six Months Jail Demanded for Greenpeace Investigators who Exposed Japanese Whaling Corruption

In an expression of solidarity with Japan’s ‘Tokyo Two’ undertrials, Greenpeace today unfurled a banner saying “Activism is Not a Crime” at the capital’s ‘Gyarah Murti’ sculpture, depicting the Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi. Choosing World Oceans Day, Greenpeace activists demanded justice for activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki.

Despite conducting a public interest investigation into corruption in the Japanese whaling industry, which was singled out by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the longest jail term of 18 months was demanded in the court at Aomori, Japan today. This is the longest jail term ever demanded for any Greenpeace activist in the organisation’s forty-year history.

Speaking in front of the inspiring statue of Mahatma Gandhi, Areeba Hamid, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace said “Japan has so far killed hundreds of whales under the pretext of ‘scientific whaling,’ spending 12 million USD (approx) of the Japanese taxpayer’s money every year. It was in public interest that Greenpeace activists Junichi and Toru took the courageous stand to expose corruption in the Japanese government sponsored whaling industry.

“We believe that the space to question, debate and expose are fundamental tenets and signs of a robust democracy. In fact, instead of the Tokyo Two, Japan’s whaling programme should be put on trial,” she asserted.

This trial has attracted international media attention and the support of numerous human rights groups, lawyers, politicians and more than half a million messages of concern have gone to the Japanese government since the arrest of the two men in 2008.

The United Nations Human Rights Council has held the Government of Japan responsible for a breach of human rights, in the case of the Tokyo Two. The United Nations has gone to the extent of saying that the Tokyo Two were justified in carrying out their investigation in the way they did. “The actions of Junichi and Toru have been peaceful at all times and for the public good. It is deeply worrying that any jail term might be imposed,” said Greenpeace International executive Director Kumi Naidoo. “

Greenpeace today also launched an online campaign supporting justice for the whales and justice for the Tokyo Two.

The demand for jail comes just as crucial talks are to begin at the International Whaling Commission meeting in Agadir.

Notes to Editor

(1) In January 2008, Greenpeace began an investigation into whistleblower allegations that organized whale meat embezzlement was being conducted by crew inside Japan's so-called ’scientific‘ whaling programme, which is funded by Japanese taxpayers. The informer was previously involved in the whaling programme, and following his advice Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki began an investigation, eventually discovering firm proof that cardboard boxes containing whale meat were being secretly shipped to the homes of whaling fleet crew - and then sold for personal profit. Junichi delivered a box of this whale meat to the Tokyo Prosecutors' Office in May 2008, and filed a report of embezzlement. However, the embezzlement investigation was dropped on 20 June – the same day that both men were arrested and then held for 26 days before being charged with theft and trespass. The prosecution has demanded one and a half years of jail term for them.