Article’s title: « Asile politique de Paul Watson : la position du gouvernement n’est pas tranchée »
The article discusses the possibility of granting political asylum to Paul Watson, the founder of Sea Shepherd, an organization that aims to protect marine wildlife. Watson is currently in Germany, fighting extradition to Costa Rica, where he was charged with endangering a coastguard’s life during a confrontation between Sea Shepherd and a Costa Rican shark finning vessel in 2002.
The French government has not yet taken a clear position on Watson’s request for political asylum in France. However, the article states that French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his admiration for Watson’s activism during a meeting with Sea Shepherd France’s director, Lamya Essemlali, in 2017. Additionally, several French politicians and personalities have expressed their support for granting asylum to Watson.
Response:
The French government has not taken a clear position on Paul Watson’s request for political asylum in France. However, there are some indications of support for Watson’s cause from French President Emmanuel Macron and several politicians and personalities in the country.