France has denied political asylum to anti-whaling activist Paul Watson, rejecting his claim that he would face persecution if returned to Canada or the United States.
Ofpra, the French body charged with asylum decisions, judged his fears “unfounded,” noting that both countries are “democracies governed by the rule of law", News.Az reports citing foreign media.
Watson, the founder of the Sea Shepherd conservation group, aged 74, holds dual US and Canadian citizenship.
He was held in Greenland for five months in 2024 before Denmark declined to extradite him to Japan, which accuses him of involvement in damage and injury aboard a Japanese whaling vessel in 2010.
He arrived in France late last year and filed his asylum claim in February.
News.Az
[SRC] https://news.az/news/france-denies-asylum-request-from-anti-whaling-activist-paul-watson
