LONDON, April 16, 2014 – (WAFA) – Amnesty International called on Israel Wednesday to lift ludicrous restrictions imposed on whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu a decade after his release.

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

“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 in a press release.

The former nuclear technician served an 18-year-prison sentence, the first 11 years of which was 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 Vanunu under police supervision. Among other things, he is banned from leaving Israel and participating in internet chats. He must also seek permission to communicate with any foreign nationals, including journalists.

“The [Israeli] authorities' continued punishment of 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 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the information he had at the time of his imprisonment has now long been in the public domain and is about 30 years out of date.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 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.

Last December, following an appeal by his lawyer, the Israeli High Court of Justice upheld the restrictions imposed by the Israeli Ministry of Interior on 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.

K.F./T.R.