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days awaiting trial
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Two Greenpeace activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki are currently on
bail and awaiting trial in Japan for their role in discovering that
prime cuts of whale meat were being smuggled from the whaling ship
Nisshin Maru to crew members for their personal gain, one box alone
being valued at US $3,000.
We believe whaling should be on trial, not these two peaceful
protesters, who were doing legitimate, investigative work to protect endangered and
vulnerable species.
You can symbolically show the Japanese government that Junichi and Toru
are no more guilty than the thousands who would sign a petition, make a
banner, send a letter or donate to Greenpeace to end whaling in the
Southern Ocean.
Our message during the whale hunt in 2008-2009 is: '"If opposing whaling is a crime, arrest me!"
Sign the petition
and show your support
Read the timeline of the scandal
Greenpeace Ambassadors for Human Rights
Greenpeace and a number of human rights organisations like Amnesty
International and Humane Society International see this as a political
arrest. We think that Japan should be investigating the embezzlement,
and the whole illegal whaling operation, not those trying to draw
attention to it.
On December 10, 2008 a group of executive directors from five
Greenpeace national offices will put their reputation where their
beliefs are, to deliver their requests to Prime Minister Aso of Japan.
They demand that Japan re-open the investigation of the whale meat
scandal and of whaling itself, and they put themselves forwards as
"co-defendants" with the Tokyo Two -- and as representatives of the
supporters in their countries who are standing in solidarity as
co-defendants as well.
Also in this group is Australia's last whaling captain -- Paddy Hart,
who was a master and gunner at the Cheynes Beach Whaling Station in
Western Australia until it ceased operation in 1978 - following
Greenpeace protests.
"I'm here in Japan to tell people that there's life after whaling. If whaling stops in Japan, the whalers will find other work - just like we had to," said Hart. "
"I am asking for an end to whaling and that the Japanese government
fund alternative ventures for the whalers, instead of spending and
losing money to produce food that people don't even like any more.
There's more money to be made from whale watching than killing
whales. Also, speaking from experience as a whale gunner there's
no humane way to kill a whale."
December 10 marks the sixtieth anniversary of the Declaration of Human
Rights. The declaration defines the rights of every human on the
planet, including the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the
right to a fair and public trial, and presumption of innocence. An
important reminder of the need to defend our rights to speak out
against the things we believe are wrong.
The co-defendants
Greenpeace Executive Directors, and Paddy Hart, ex-whaler, in Tokyo.
©Greenpeace/Sutton- Hibbert
Greenpeace organised activities in 15 countries to coincide with
the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on
December 10th. In Wellington we set up outside the Japanese Embassy and errected a photo booth to take symbolic mug shots of you,
us and others who want to save the whales — and stand by Junichi and
Toru. We then delivered the photos to the Japanese Ambassador to say
once again that - if Junichi and Toru are guilty then so are we! Now is
the time to turn the trial into a trial of whaling.
You can also download Junichi/Toru masks
here which you can print on cardboard and wear. Send a photo of
yourself as a co-defendant -- perhaps taken in front of a Japanese
embassy or some suitably Japanese location -- and email it to our
Flickr account here: loaf84lope@photos.flickr.com
Locations of Japanese embassies and consulates
Opposed to whaling? We're all Junichi & Toru. Download and print a mask
We also have a letter that you can download and adapt, to deliver to the Japanese embassy or consulate nearest you. Peaceful protest is not a crime - we do not expect you to get arrested for making a polite and respectful request at a Japanese embassy! But please do keep it polite and respectful: the embassy staff are not our opponents.
Let's show Japan just how many handcuffs it will take to lock up all of us who oppose whaling.
