Greenpeace activists in Delhi unfurl a banner in front of the Gyarah Murti statue to compare Gandhi's non-violent civil disobedience to the work our activists in Japan have undertaken.
Despite conducting a public interest investigation into
corruption in the Japanese whaling industry, which was singled out
by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the
longest jail term of 18 months was demanded in the court at Aomori,
Japan today. This is the longest jail term ever demanded for any
Greenpeace activist in the organisation's forty-year history.
Speaking in front of the inspiring statue of Mahatma Gandhi,
Areeba Hamid, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace said "Japan has so far
killed hundreds of whales under the pretext of 'scientific
whaling,' spending 12 million USD (approx) of the Japanese
taxpayer's money every year. It was in public interest that
Greenpeace activists Junichi and Toru took the courageous stand to
expose corruption in the Japanese government sponsored whaling
industry.
"We believe that the space to question, debate and expose are
fundamental tenets and signs of a robust democracy. In fact,
instead of the Tokyo Two, Japan's whaling programme should be put
on trial," she asserted.
This trial has attracted international media attention and the
support of numerous human rights groups, lawyers, politicians and
more than half a million messages of concern have gone to the
Japanese government since the arrest of the two men in 2008.
The United Nations Human Rights Council has held the Government
of Japan responsible for a breach of human rights, in the case of
the Tokyo Two. The United Nations has gone to the extent of saying
that the Tokyo Two were justified in carrying out their
investigation in the way they did. "The actions of Junichi and Toru
have been peaceful at all times and for the public good. It is
deeply worrying that any jail term might be imposed," said
Greenpeace International executive Director Kumi
Naidoo. "
Greenpeace today also launched an online campaign supporting
justice for the whales and justice for the Tokyo Two.
The demand for jail comes just as crucial talks are to begin at
the International Whaling Commission meeting in Agadir.
For further information, contact
For further information
Areeba Hamid, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace India
, +91-99005 69456
Shachi Chaturvedi, Senior Media Officer, Greenpeace India 
, +91-98187 50007
Notes to Editor
(1) In January 2008, Greenpeace began an investigation into whistleblower allegations that organized whale meat embezzlement was being conducted by crew inside Japan's so-called ’scientific‘ whaling programme, which is funded by Japanese taxpayers. The informer was previously involved in the whaling programme, and following his advice Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki began an investigation, eventually discovering firm proof that cardboard boxes containing whale meat were being secretly shipped to the homes of whaling fleet crew - and then sold for personal profit. Junichi delivered a box of this whale meat to the Tokyo Prosecutors' Office in May 2008, and filed a report of embezzlement. However, the embezzlement investigation was dropped on 20 June – the same day that both men were arrested and then held for 26 days before being charged with theft and trespass. The prosecution has demanded one and a half years of jail term for them.