14 DAY TRIAL // Green group Sea Shepherd is now asking that people help it win an ongoing battle against Japanese whaling groups. Unlike all the other battles that the organization has fought out against Japanese whalers, the one that it needs help winning is taking place not at sea, but in court.
As reported on several occasions, Sea Shepherd USA is currently accused of having violated an injunction issued by a US Court of Appeals.
The injunction, issued by the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals towards the end on 2012, said that the green group was no longer to follow Japanese whalers around and try to keep them from hunting whales.
Following the court's issuing this order, Sea Shepherd USA agreed to keep its distance from the Japanese whalers. What's more, Captain Paul Watson stepped down from his position as the organization's leader.
“Sea Shepherd has never been a protest organization nor have we engaged in civil disobedience. We are an anti-poaching organization established to uphold international conservation law.”
“As a United States citizen, I will respect and comply with the ruling of the United States 9th District Court and will not violate the temporary injunction granted to the Institute for Cetacean Research. I will participate as an observer within the boundaries established by the 9th Circuit Court of the United States,” Captain Paul Watson stated at that time.
However, Sea Shepherd Australia took over the organization's anti-whaling campaign, and the whalers once again found themselves unable to go about hunting marine mammals unhindered.
Needless to say, the Japanese whalers did not take lightly to this turn of events, and decided to go after Sea Shepherd USA in court. Long story short, they accused the conservationists of having violated the injunction issued by the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Sea Shepherd USA says that the charges filed against it are without merit, and is confident that judges will rule in its favor. The only problem is that, as explained on the organization's website, this battle is taking quite a lot of money resources.
While fighting the charges filed against it by Japanese whaling groups, Sea Shepherd USA is also trying to overturn the injunction preventing them to carry on with their conservation work.
“The courtroom battles – to overturn the injunction and defend against contempt charges—are a fight for the very soul of Sea Shepherd. The whalers want to muzzle and scare those who bring to light their whale-killing in the name of ‘research,’” the organization writes.
Furthermore, “To show your support for our shared cause, please consider making a contribution to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society USA (SSCS) for support of our legal defense in connection with protecting our right to defend the whales. Your donations will help to defray the costs of these legal actions, which are critical to SSCS’s continued ability to defend and protect ocean wildlife.”
Those wishing to help the organization and donate can do so here.