Bethune facing piracy charges in Japan

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Tue, 16 Feb 2010 5:02p.m.

Pete Bethune boarding the ship

Pete Bethune boarding the ship

By Samantha Hayes

New Zealand's anti-whaler Pete Bethune is on his way to Japan with charges of piracy or trespass.

The foreign ministers of both countries have become involved, with Mr Bethune's Sea Shepherd colleagues claiming he has been physically ill-treated, and the Japanese flatly denying it, but not allowing contact with him.

Mr Bethune is now under guard on the Japanese ship Shonan Maru 2, and happy to be there according to Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully.

"He is not only not seeking to be removed, but is refusing to be removed at this stage," says Mr McCully.

Mr McCully's opposite number in the Japanese government warned what he called "strong and appropriate action" would follow.

"There is a stream of advice that says yes they can, but that's something I'm checking more thoroughly today," says Mr McCully.

The whalers refused a request by 3 News to speak to Mr Bethune to see how he is being treated.

"Captain Bethune is aboard a vessel being detained right now," says Alex Earl, Sea Shepherd associate director. "The latest we've heard is that he's been injured by the Japanese. We don't know all the details about that, but he wasn't injured when he went aboard."

Glenn Inwood, spokesman for the whalers, disagrees.

"Allegations that he isn't being looked after are completely false. In the last 24 hours Sea Shepherd and Paul Watson have said nothing that even resembles the truth."

Mr Bethune's wife Sharyn says he knew what he was getting himself into, and that's why he insisted on going alone.

"I'm not worried about him yet," says Ms Bethune. "I'm worried about him if they do decide to take him back to Japan."

Sea Shepherd says if Mr Bethune does face charges in Tokyo, they'll back him up financially with legal defence.

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Comments

23 Feb 2010 11:35a.m.

John Moir wrote:

If Bethune behaves like a pirate then let him be prosecuted as one. It's interesting to see that the protester activists proudly display the pirate skull and crossbones on their ships, so clearly they think its ok to behave like pirates and they are about the law. I hope the Japanese legal system will teach them otherwise - I don't know where Bethune comes from but it seems that currently he is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.

18 Feb 2010 03:24a.m.

ddpalmer wrote:

And likely he will very soon be an inmate in a Japanese prison. Bill, maybe you can send him some cigarettes that he can share with Bubba-san his cellmate.

17 Feb 2010 03:41p.m.

Bill D wrote:

Captain Bethune may be maligned by some in his own country, but he is a hero to many of us around the world. Good going, Captain Bethune! Bill (Canada)

17 Feb 2010 12:16p.m.

Kiwi Chick wrote:

Great ...Japanese Prisons teach responsibility for actions not like the useless ones in New Zealand where shrinks and counsellers help you blame your whole life on system and others so you can have self esteem.

Pawns of American Movie maker Paul Watson like Bethune need to realise that they will pay for their destruction and terrorism. Well Whale wars would have had a drop in its ratings if their wasn't another incident. I guess they had to develop the plot for the gullible.

Sea Shepherd stages all these things and has no qualms about blatant lies of which 80% of their communications are composed...Japanese rammed them, shot them, tried to kill them etc...

...and they keep going back for more.

It is an idiot that takes them seriously.
And New Zealand will look as stupid as Aussie does now if they stand alongside this Hollywood Reality movie making team.

17 Feb 2010 10:40a.m.

jill wrote:

Good one, let him rot in jail to learn some civilisation. He brings shame to NZ.

17 Feb 2010 01:13a.m.

Nathan wrote:

Bill's argument = epic fail

16 Feb 2010 10:08p.m.

Lightseed wrote:

really bill? another person who cannot debate the topic and try to make it personal, perhaps you should try to discus the topic or is that because you really don't know what you are talking about? As for being a national mouth piece, is that because I actually know more on the topic than you? Personally I don't support any party and vote every time on what the party puts forward. Now sweetie try to deal with the facts, you might learn something

16 Feb 2010 07:49p.m.

Bill wrote:

Have never voted labour and never will. But it's good to see the mouthpiece of the National Party Lightseed doing his normal thing.

16 Feb 2010 07:33p.m.

Lightseed wrote:

bill, you do realise they are the ones currently working through diplomats to end the Japanese whaling? Which is the only way it will end because they are a proud people who will not bow to what they believe to be a threat, which is these eco terrorists. Btw, perhaps you can list how Labour ended whaling by the Japanese? oh that's right they didn't do anything else than diplomatic routes did they.

16 Feb 2010 07:11p.m.

Lightseed wrote:

Long over due. he should of been charged when he ran over a boat on his little trip around the world killing an innocent man, but no he paid his way out of that one.