Denmark released anti-whaling activist Paul Watson from detention on Tuesday and said it had rejected a Japanese request to extradite him over criminal charges dating back more than a decade.

Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson was freed from prison in Greenland on Tuesday and will not be extradited to Japan, the Danish Justice Ministry and defense lawyers said.

Mr. Watson was facing extradition to Japan but was released after Denmark decided to reject the extradition request, his lawyer said.