Greenpeace issues plea for fair trial of whale meat activists

Greenpeace is calling on the Japanese ambassador to ensure the fair trial of two Greenpeace activists, following a UN report criticising Japan for breaching human rights during the pair’s detention.

Known as the ‘Tokyo Two’, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki were arrested in June 2008 after they produced evidence exposing a major whale meat scandal in Japan. They were detained for 26 days, 23 without charge and were at times tied to chairs while interrogated without a lawyer being present.

A United Nations panel has informed the Japanese government that it had breached a series of internationally guaranteed human rights by detaining the two Greenpeace activists. (1).

Early this afternoon Greenpeace will deliver more than 300 origami whales signed by New Zealand supporters of the Tokyo Two to the Japanese ambassador in Wellington, Mr Toshihiro Takahashi.

A four-month undercover Greenpeace investigation revealed an embezzlement ring involving crew members on board the whalers’ factory ship Nisshin Maru, who were taking the best cuts of whale meat during the so-called scientific hunt, smuggling it ashore disguised as personal luggage and then passing it to traders for illegal sale. Following a tip-off from a former whaling crew member, Sato and Susuki intercepted a box of stolen whale meat and handed it in to the authorities. They were later arrested and charged with trespass and theft (2).

“Junichi and Toru acted in the public interest to expose a scandal that involved corruption in the taxpayer-funded whaling programme. Now it is clear that this is not just the opinion of Greenpeace, but also of the competent United Nations body,” said Greenpeace International
Executive Director Kumi Naidoo. “We expect the Japanese courts to take note of this opinion and judge the case accordingly.”

Greenpeace New Zealand political advisor Geoff Keey said demonstrations of support had been staged outside Japanese embassies around the world this week.

“We are calling on the Japanese government to respect its commitment to international human rights law, to ensure that the Junichi and Toru receive a fair trial, and to reopen the investigation into the whale meat embezzlement scandal.”

Greenpeace is also running an online pledge for supporters to petition the Japanese government (3).

The full trial starts on Monday, February 15, in Aomori, Japan.

Notes to Editor
1. The full Opinion of the Working Group can be found at:
http://www.greenpeace.org/tokyo-two/wgad-opinion

2. Japan's whale meat scandal and the trial of the Tokyo Two http://www.greenpeace.org/tokyo-two/whaling-on-trial

3. http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/action/tokyo-two