Press release
Mandela and Vanunu – men of courage
This week the World’s political leaders stood united in admiration at the Memorial service in South Africa to honour the memory of Nelson Mandela, Leader of his country, and a man of courage who gave inspiration to many people around the world.
Across the world in East Jerusalem in solitude sits another man of courage Mordechai Vanunu. In l986 Vanunu, the Israeli Nuclear whistle-blower, told the world about Israel’s secret nuclear Weapons. For this he served 18 years in an Israeli prison, 12 in solitary confinement, and since his release in 2004 he has been forbidden to leave Israel, speak to foreigners, and is constantly under surveillance.
On 25thDecember, 2013 Christmas day, he will be brought again before an Israeli Supreme Court and will, yet again, ask for his right to leave Israel. The Supreme Court can give him his freedom to go get on a plane and leave Israel as he wishes to do. I appeal to President Shimon Perez, to Prime Minister Netanyahu, to let him go. He is a man of peace, desiring freedom, who followed his conscience. He is no threat to Israel. He like Mandela, has served now 27 years and deserves his freedom.
To the World’s Political Leaders who recognized in Mandela, a man of Honour and courage and saluted him, I appeal to you to do all in your power to help Vanunu get his freedom now. You have it in your power To do so, please do not be ‘silent’ whilst Mordechai Vanunu suffers and is refused his basic rights.
To the World’s media, I appeal to you to report on Vanunu‘s continuing Isolation and enforced silence by Israel.
To civil communities everywhere, I appeal to you to increase your efforts for Vanunu freedom and demand ‘Israel let our brother Mordechai Go. We cannot be free while he is not free’.
Mairead Corrigan Maguire
Nobel Peace Laureate
15th December,2013