An appeal to Peace Nobelist President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu to free Mordechai Vanunu
NOBEL LAUREATES, 31 May 2010
PRESS RELEASE
Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire has written to President Barack Obama, USA, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, asking them to ‘do all they can’ to obtain the release of Mordechai Vanunu and for him to be allowed to leave Israel.
Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli nuclear whistleblower, was convicted by an Israeli court in l986 and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for passing on information about Israel’s nuclear weapons. He served 11 of his 18 years in solitary confinement. Vanunu was released from prison in 2004 but instead of being allowed to leave Israel, as was his wish and legal right, he was placed under strict restrictions depriving him of many of his civil and fundamental rights including the right to move freely and to have contacts with foreigners. For exercising this latter right Mordechai Vanunu has been returned to prison on 23rd May 2010 (Eshel Prison) for a three-month detention.
Maguire said:
‘I join my voice with many others around the world calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Mordechai Vanunu. The restrictions put on him are not parole restrictions since he served his full 18-year term. These restrictions arbitrarily limit his right to freedom of movement, expression and association, and are therefore in breach of international law.
‘After 24 years held within Israel against his will, it is time for Mordechai to be allowed to leave the country so he can get on with his life. He has suffered enough and represents no threat to Israeli national security.’
In her letter to President Obama, Mairead Maguire thanked him for all he is doing for a nuclear free world and a nuclear free Middle East. Maguire went on to say:
‘When, twenty four years ago, Mordechai Vanunu, as a young technician in the Dimona Israeli nuclear weapons plant, in conscience told the world about the Israeli nuclear bomb, it was his attempt to do what he could for a nuclear free Middle East and a nuclear free world. History will remember him as a man of courage, integrity and peace. But today all Vanunu asks for is his freedom. Obama and Netanyahu have it within their power to free Mordechai Vanunu and the world expects them to do so.’
Tel: 44(o)28 663465
25th May, 2010
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 31 May 2010.
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With all due respect, it looks to me as if Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire lives in “Fantasyland”. What’s the point in writing to the American President President, Barack Obama and to Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, asking them to ‘do all they can’ to obtain the release of Mordechai Vanunu and for him to be allowed to leave Israel?
Doesn’t Mr. Maguire know that Vanunu has been arrested “BECAUSE” Obama and Netanyahu “did all they could” for this to happen?
Furthermore, does Mairead Maguire know what Vanunu wants to do, if he could leave Israel? he wants to live in the USA, Israel’s partners in the research and manufacturing of nuclear weapons. Double standards……
Alberto