Sea Shepherd backs World Court action to protect whales

Legal proceedings will begin at the International Court of Justice in The Hague next Wednesday 26th June, as the Australian Government presents its case against Japan’s whaling operations in the Southern Ocean.

The hearings are set down for three weeks from 26 June to 16 July.

“I expect the World Court will find Japan is whaling for commercial reasons and that it is a breech of international law,” said Sea Shepherd Australia Chairman, Dr Bob Brown.

“Sea Shepherd Australia has been upholding the law and providing the only direct protection for thousands of whales, who would have been slaughtered for profit by the Japanese fleet. The question of enforcing the World Court decision, if successful, now looms large,” said Dr Brown

“There is no global environment policing agency. It will be up to the Australian and New Zealand governments to uphold the law if Japan ignores the International Court of Justice ruling that commercial whaling must stop,” said Dr Brown

The public hearings will also be broadcast live and in full on the International Court of Justice’s website at www.icj-cij.org/presscom/multimedia.php?p1=6 and will be available on UN Web TV at http://webtv.un.org/.

About Sea Shepherd Australia

Sea Shepherd Australia is a non-profit conservation organisation whose mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd Australia 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 oceanic ecosystems, Sea Shepherd Australia works to ensure their survival for future generations. Visit www.seashepherd.org.au for more information.