AMCS announcement; International Court of Justice ruling on whale program

MEDIA RELEASE: International Court of Justice Harpoons Whalers Monday 31 March 2014 The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) has welcomed today’s ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Japan’s ‘scientific’ whaling program breaks international law and must be stopped. AMCS Director Darren Kindleysides, who has played a significant role over the past eight years to advocate international legal action against Japan, also congratulated the Australian Government for challenging Japan in the ICJ. “The International Courts have today confirmed that Japan’s so-called ‘scientific whaling’ is illegal,” said Mr Kindleysides. “Over the last 25 years, more than 10,000 whales have been killed in the Southern Ocean by Japanese whalers under the guise of ‘research’. That ends today. “The International Court’s decision exposes the sham that is ‘scientific whaling’ for what it really is: commercial whaling in disguise. “No longer can whaling nations dress commercial whaling up in a lab coat to get around the global ban on whaling. “This case has been an international embarrassment to Japan. “The Government of Japan was in the dock, and that’s where their whaling fleet must now stay. "The judgments of the ICJ have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned. "We urge Japan to abide by the decision of the highest court on the planet. “We thank and congratulate the Australian Government for taking this case, which was supported by New Zealand. "The decision is vindication for Australia’s decision to stand up to Japan through the International Courts. “We call on the Prime Minister to raise the issue of whaling when he meets his Japanese counterpart, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in April. “The PM must urge Japan’s Prime Minister to abide by the findings of the ICJ. Their whaling program has done much harm to Japan’s standing on the international stage. The PM must call on Japan to now join the international non-lethal whale research program in the Southern Ocean,” he said. Media Contact: AMCS Director Darren Kindleysides 0422 396 077 or AMCS Communications Manager Ingrid Neilson 0421 9 72 731

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