San Jose – Costa Rica’s government said today that they gave the extradition request for the founder of the environmental organization Sea Shepherd, to Germany on Monday. Paul Watson, however, disappeared from Germany while he was on bail.
Costa Rican Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the application translated into English and German was delivered on Monday to the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, which was then sent to the State Attorney and the Superior Court, both in the city of Frankfurt.
According to the Costa Rican government they met the deadline set by the German authorities to submit an application, which expires today.
On 25 July the Frankfurt court reactivated the arrest warrant for Watson, because he left the country while on bail pending an extradition request to Costa Rica.
Watson, 61, was arrested at Frankfurt airport on May 13 and released a week later under bail of 250,000 euros ($ 307. $ 772), and must report daily to the police station Frankfurt.
The Costa Rican authorities demanding the extradition of Watson in 2006 for failure to appear in court on charges of violation of maritime traffic in Guatemalan waters in a 2002 incident in which Costa Rican fishermen say they tried to sink his boat.
Following the arrest of Watson, Sea Shepherd organization said that the alleged offense occurred when the activist was filming the 2002 documentary “Sharkwaters” about an illegal operation to remove shark fins on the Costa Rican ship Varadero.
The environmental organization has said he fears for the life of Watson should he be jailed in Costa Rica and doubt the possibility of a fair trial.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry of Costa Rica said the country has “full guarantees of due process under independent courts and international prestige, and the protection of physical integrity to Mr. Watson.”
EFE
The Costa Rica News
San Jose Costa Rica
