Mordechai Vanunu
On July 2nd an Israeli court sentenced Mordechai Vanunu to six months
imprisonment (plus another 6 months suspended) for violating a ban on speaking
to foreigners.
In 1986 he received an 18-year sentence after telling
the Sunday Times about his work as a technician at the Dimona
nuclear reactor, with the disclosures tearing away the veil of secrecy around
an assumed Israeli nuclear arsenal.
After completing his sentence in 2004, his parole terms forbade him from
holding contacts with foreign nationals or giving interviews to the press.
He has been found guilty of giving interviews to
international media outlets over the past three years. "While returning a man to prison after
he served 18 years there does not bring joy to anyone; there was no other
choice but to take this step to make clear that the nation will defend its
secrets and protect its security," the prosecutor, Dan Eldad,
said in a statement issued by the justice ministry. The statement read:
"The order stemmed from the fact that the accused had hoarded in his
memory classified information that has not been released, and the release of
which could harm the security interests of
Mordechai Vanunu has insisted he only wants to
pursue a peaceful anti-nuclear campaign. "All I want is to be free, to
leave the country," he said. The court held over his serving the sentence
pending any appeal, which Mordechai has until
September to decide whether or not to launch.
Actions you can take:
·
Write to him at
·
Protest to the Israeli
Ambassador, Zvi Heifetz:
write to Israeli Embassy, 2 Palace Green,
·
Visit the
· Ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion 1813 (see below).