26/5/10
Pete Bethune¹s Criminal Trial Starts May 27th
The
criminal trial against Sea Shepherd Conservation Society volunteer Captain
Pete Bethune begins in Tokyo on May 27. Captain Bethune was arrested in
March and remains in maximum-security detention in Tokyo. He was detained
after boarding the Japanese whaling vessel Shonan Maru 2 in February to
protest the sinking of Sea Shepherd's vessel Ady Gil (which he captained)
as well as Japan's illegal whaling operations. He faces several charges,
including trespassing and property damage.
Captain Bethune boarded the Shonan Maru 2 to present the captain of that
vessel with a three million dollar invoice for damages arising from the
Shonan Maru 2's destruction of the vessel Ady Gil. Bethune also boarded
the vessel in an effort to stop it from slaughtering more whales, and his
actions did cause the Shonan Maru 2 to prematurely withdraw from the illegal
whaling operation in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
Sea Shepherd's Seattle-based law firm, Harris & Moure, will have two of its lawyers in Tokyo during the trial both to assist Bethune's Japanese defense team and to explain Sea Shepherd's position regarding the trial and Japan's illegal whaling operations. Harris & Moure's Managing Partner, Dan Harris, will be available in Tokyo for media questions beginning on May 26 and throughout the trial.
Steve Dickinson, who heads Harris & Moure's Asia practice out of Qingdao, China, will be at the trial both as a translator and as a liaison to Sea Shepherd in the United States. Mr. Dickinson began his legal career with a prominent Tokyo law firm and is fluent in Japanese.
END
About Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an International non-profit conservation organization whose mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world's oceans in order to conserve and protects ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately-balanced ocean ecosystems, Sea Shepherd works to ensure their survival for future generations. Founder and President Captain Paul Watson, is a renowned, respected leader in environmental issues. Visit http://www.seashepherd.org for more information.
About Harris & Moure
Harris & Moure has a long history of handling maritime matters in Asia, including Japan. More information on the firm can be found at http://www.harrismoure.com
To
Interview Dan Harris in Tokyo
International: +81-90-6094-8321, Local: 090-6094-8321
Sea Shepherd Media Contacts
US International Headquarters: +1-360-370-5650, email: media@seashepherd.org
Australia: +61 409 472 922
Europe: +31 612 535 377
Harris
& Moure General Inquiries
Stephanie Henry: +1-206- 224-5657
For related images and video: http://media.seashepherd.org
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