Jerry Vlasak remis en liberté

[Animal 0]

13 avril 2006

U.S.A.
Jerry Vlasak released from jail

Dr. Jerry Vlasak has been released from a Canadian jail today, 10th April, after serving 15 of the total 22 days he was sentenced. Vlasak had been on a hunger strike since the first day of his jail sentence, which officially began on 27th March.

Though 18 pounds lighter, the trauma surgeon and press officer for the North American Animal Liberation Press Office (NAALPO) was in good spirits. He told NAALPO, “The jail told me I should go to the hospital after I was released from custody, but I refuse to pay a dime into the Canadian economy to be checked by an emergency room doctor. If I choose to see a doc, I will see someone I trust when I return home. I was released today a bit lighter and physically a bit weaker, but ideologically stronger than ever."

Vlasak is one of 11 activists from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Farley Mowat who were arrested, charged, and convicted on the 11th of January 2005 for violating the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) regulations that prevents citizens from witnessing the slaughter of the seals without a permit. After a bench trial in December 2005, the eleven were ordered to pay $1000C. They refused to pay the fine and were sentenced to 22 days in jail.

On 25th March, the official first day of the 2006 seal slaughter, Vlasak journeyed to Prince Edward Island, Canada to surrender to authorities.

None of the other 10 activists convicted with Vlasak has served jail time yet. Sources say they have plans to turn themselves in, but they are awaiting the advice of their legal counsel who is working to appeal the convictions. Vlasak was included with the group receiving legal counsel, but chose to use the opportunity as a means of protest against the annual slaughter of baby harp seals and the unjust convictions.

"Six years ago, Canada reinstated the killing of seal pups at an unprecedented rate. It's incumbent upon all of us to do everything we can to stop this horrific systematic extermination of young harp seals. I can now go home to a loving family and friends - but the seals are still out there being bludgeoned to death. I'm hoping that with the decision by IFAW, HSUS and other conservation groups to make this a year-round campaign--maybe, just maybe, this will be the last year of this horrific kill," said Vlasak.

The Canadian commercial seal hunt is the largest marine mammal slaughter in the world. A worldwide boycott of Atlantic-Canadian seafood products supported by a number of large groups, has already cost the Canadian economy tens of millions of dollars - far in excess of the value of the skins and penises sold for the European fur and Asian aphrodisiac markets. The Canadian government continues to subsidize the slaughter by providing the services of spotter planes and several icebreakers. The latter cut a deadly swath through the ice floes directly to the baby seal nursery. This support continues despite the fact that the majority of Canadian citizens oppose the hunt and are embarrassed by the worldwide publicity engendered by celebrities like Sir Paul and Lady Heather McCartney.

The "first phase" of the slaughter ended in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and killed ninety-one thousand baby seals. The "second phase" of the massacre in the Labrador Front (Newfoundland) started last Tuesday. It is expected to kill 234,000 more baby seals.