Icelandic authorities have ordered the expulsion of 21 anti-whaling activists. The group was aboard the Bandero, a ship belonging to the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, which was seized after attempting to obstruct the operations of an Icelandic whaling ship, the Hvalur 9.
The security intervention was triggered at the request of the crew of the Hvalur 9, who reported feeling threatened. Icelandic police accused the activists of suspected violations of international law of the sea and endangering maritime security. The activists have been held in Reykjavik, Iceland, since last week.
Icelandic police spokesman Gunnar Runar Sveinbjornsson told AFP that all crew members of the Bandero have been served notice of expulsion and a re-entry ban. One passenger on the Bandero told AFP that the activists initially intended to ram the whaling ship but instead launched an inflatable boat to deploy a net to damage the propellers.
Legal disputes and vessel seizure
The Bandero was boarded and seized off the coast of Iceland during the night of July 30 to 31. The Captain Paul Watson Foundation stated that their vessel was in international waters when it was boarded. The foundation also denounced the seizure of the crew's phones and called the detention excessive.
Number of individuals ordered to be expelled from Iceland.
According to a list provided by the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, the crew of the Bandero included nationals from the United States, Brazil, France, and Spain. The expulsion decision is accompanied by a re-entry ban.
Whaling regulation in Iceland
Iceland, Norway, and Japan are among the few countries that still allow commercial whaling. However, the Icelandic government plans to introduce a bill this autumn aimed at banning commercial whaling.
