Trial of Five Seal Hunt Observers Put on Hold until May 2008

Friday, October 19, 2007

Havres-aux-Maison, Quebec - The trial for five seal-hunt observers entered its second day today, relating to technical violations of Canada’s Fisheries Act during the 2006 commercial hunt.

British citizen Mark Glover, Director of Respect for Animals and Humane Society International (UK), is one of the defendants at the trial.

The five accused were to present evidence in a crowded courtroom today, following yesterday’s Crown presentation featuring the testimony of a single witness - a Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) officer.

But as a result of the numerous defence witnesses and the strong expert testimony of video experts, the Crown requested an adjournment and a continuance of the trial to build a stronger case and review the video evidence, which the judge granted.

“The Crown took a case that was supposed to have two witnesses - one of them declined to have a bad word to say about us, the other one did his best, but he is pinned down to evidence that I’m in the position to prove simply cannot be true,” said Clayton Ruby, the defendants’ lawyer.

As a result of the continuance, the trial will resume May 6-9, 2008, at which time the defence will present its video evidence and analysis by video experts.

Ruby remains confident despite the hiatus.

“There’s video tape from the government ship, there’s video tape from an independent reporter, and there’s video tape from some of the accused – all from different angles.  This is one of the most photographed events ever and the photographs will show that we are innocent,” he said.

The defendants are representatives of Respect for Animals, the Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States. After documenting the commercial seal hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in March, 2006, from their small inflatable vessels, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canada’s DFO charged them with violating a required 10-metre barrier from seal hunters on the ice as a condition of their observation permits.

For video footage please see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fih6crGKqRQ

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