Israel: Lift ‘ludicrous’ restrictions on whistleblower Vanunu decade after release

0
0
Source: Amnesty International NZ – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Israel: Lift ‘ludicrous’ restrictions on whistleblower Vanunu decade after release

  Mordechai Vanunu served an 18-year-prison sentence for disclosing information to journalists about Israel’s nuclear arsenal during the 1980s.© Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin.
  Mordechai Vanunu served an 18-year-prison sentence for disclosing information to journalists about Israel’s nuclear arsenal during the 1980s. © Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin.
   
 

 

Read More:

 
NEWS: Israeli nuclear whistleblower returned to solitary confinement (Jun 21 2010)
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand: Our Work
 

 

Follow the latest #news from @AmnestyNZ:

Tweets about “#news amnestynz”

Ten years after serving a full sentence for his revelations to the press about Israel’s nuclear weapons programme, Mordechai Vanunu still faces severe restrictions that arbitrarily infringe on his freedom of movement, expression and association, said Amnesty International.

The former nuclear technician served an 18-year-prison sentence, the first 11 years of which were in solitary confinement, for disclosing information to journalists about Israel’s nuclear arsenal during the 1980s.

Since his release in 2004, renewable military orders, have placed Mordechai Vanunu under police supervision. Among other things, he is banned from leaving the country and participating in internet chats. He must also seek permission to communicate with any foreign nationals, including journalists.

“The authorities’ continued punishment of Mordechai Vanunu appears to be purely vindictive. The government’s arguments that these severe restrictions are necessary for national security are ludicrous,” said Avner Gidron, Senior Policy Adviser at Amnesty International.

Israeli officials claim that restricting Mordechai Vanunu’s freedom is necessary to prevent him from divulging further secrets about Israel’s nuclear programme. He has, however, repeatedly stated that he revealed all he knew about Israel’s nuclear arsenal in 1986 and that he has no further information. He and his lawyers have also pointed out that the information he had at the time of his imprisonment has now long been in the public domain and is about 30 years out of date.

“The restrictions on Mordechai Vanunu are arbitrary, unnecessary and have no grounds in international law. The continuing restrictions on his liberty have placed a severe strain on his mental and physical health and should immediately be lifted,” said Avner Gidron.

Amnesty International is calling on the Israeli authorities to allow Mordechai Vanunu to leave the country if he wishes, and to allow him to exercise his rights to freedom of movement, association and expression while in Israel.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Last December, following an appeal by his lawyer, the High Court of Justice upheld the restrictions imposed by the Ministry of Interior on Mordechai Vanunu, which prevent him from leaving Israel, and ban him from entering a consulate or embassy or coming with 500 meters of international borders, border passages, harbours or airports.  And they upheld the requirement that he seek permission before contacting foreign nationals. The current restrictions, which are due for renewal in May 2014, should be lifted immediately.

Mordechai Vanunu is a former technician at Israel’s nuclear plant near the southern town of Dimona. He revealed details of the country’s nuclear arsenal to the British newspaper, The Sunday Times, in 1986. He was abducted by Israeli secret service (Mossad) agents in Italy on 30 September 1986 and secretly taken to Israel. He was tried and sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment.

In May 2010 he was imprisoned for a second time following his release, for three months, after being convicted of breaching his restrictions by speaking to foreigners and attempting to attend Christmas Mass in Bethlehem. Amnesty International adopted him as a prisoner of conscience. He was held for 11 weeks under harsh conditions in solitary confinement in Ayalon Prison near Ramle in central Israel, in a special unit for dangerous prisoners and was able to leave his cell for only one hour every day. The prison authorities said they decided to place him there in order to protect him from attacks from other inmates.

The restrictions he has been subjected to since 2004 are not parole restrictions since Mordechai Vanunu served his full sentence. They are arbitrary and contrary to Israel’s obligations under international law, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits arbitrary interference in the rights to freedom of movement, freedom of expression and freedom of association and protects individuals from being punished again for the same offence.

Mordechai Vanunu had been previously held by Israel in solitary confinement for 11 years from 1986 in conditions that Amnesty International at the time called cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. 

 

Take Action Online


  • Sign a web petition – easy to take actions on the latest human rights issues

 

Support Us


  • Donate – make a one off donation to Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Support Us – become a human rights defender and make a regular gift to Amnesty
  • Join us – become a member of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand

 

Join Us


Sign up to our E-Action Network below and start receiving regular email alerts about our latest news and appeals for action.

Don’t worry, we won’t bombard you with emails, and we definitely won’t share your details with any third parties. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Join the Amnesty E-Action Network:

* indicates required
Please Choose Below…NorthlandAucklandWaikatoBay of PlentyThames-CoromandelGisborneHawke’sManawatu-WhanganuiTaranakiWairarapaKapiti CoastWellingtonNelson-MarlboroughCanterburyOtagoSouthlandWest CoastOther in New ZealandOther not in New Zealand
 
 

Story type: 
International news

The claims and opinions made in this statement are those of the release organisation and are not necessarily endorsed by, and are not necessarily those of, The Daily Blog. Also in no event shall The Daily Blog be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on the above release content.