Intl. Vigils to Free Israeli Nuclear Whistleblower

PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO HOLD VIGILS TO MARK THE 17TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KIDNAPPING AND IMPRISONMENT OF ISRAELI WHISTLEBLOWER MORDECHAI VANUNU -

There will be vigils around the world on and around Tuesday, September 30 calling for the immediate release of imprisoned Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu. September 30 is the 17th anniversary of his kidnapping and imprisonment. Vanunu, who worked at the Dimona nuclear facility in the Negev Desert, told the London Sunday Times in 1986, as a matter of conscience, about Israel's secret nuclear arsenal.

The international campaign to free Vanunu is calling for people to vigil in front of Israeli embassies, consulates and other sites in countries around the world, calling for nuclear abolition and Mordechai's release.

Mordechai has repeatedly been turned down for parole and is scheduled to serve his full sentence. He's been given a release date of April 22, 2004. It's imperative that we keep the pressure on the Israeli government and let them know that there are people around the world who continue to call for Vanunu's unconditional and immediate release.

BECAUSE WE EXPECT THAT THIS IS THE LAST SEPTEMBER 30 ANNIVERSARY DATE THAT MORDECHAI WILL HAVE TO SPEND BEHIND BARS, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FREE VANUNU VIGILS IN AS MANY CITIES AROUND THE WORLD AS POSSIBLE.

CAN YOU JOIN US? Are you interested in organizing a vigil in your town or city? We are hoping for participation from many countries and groups, so that throughout the entire day there is a vigil, large and small, for Vanunu somewhere in the world. It's also fine to plan a vigil within a couple of days of the September 30 date. Please let us know if you'll have a vigil so we can have a complete list of sites for press releases.

In past years, Free Vanunu vigils were held in Wellington, Sydney, Jerusalem, New Delhi, Chennai, Hiroshima, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Boston, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Salisbury, Leicester, Lisbon, Rome, Stockholm, and Oslo. Past vigils have had anywhere from 3 to 50 participants. In addition to holding signs and banners, some have handed out leaflets, had petitions for people to sign, blown whistles, had people take turns in a mock prison cell, read Mordechai's poetry aloud, delivered letters to the embassy, and had speakers and musical performances.

This year, plans are already underway for vigils in Budapest, London, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Now is the time to start planning your own vigil.

Please help to spread the message that Mordechai Vanunu has remained committed to while locked up inside Ashkelon Prison for all these years: No nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East or anywhere in the world!

If you are interested in being part of this worldwide vigil for
Mordechai, or have any questions, please contact as soon as possible, the U.S. campaign to
free Vanunu at <freevanunu@mindspring.com> or the British campaign to
free Vanunu at <campaign@vanunu.freeserve.co.uk>

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS POST WITH ANTI-NUCLEAR AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CHAPTERS, ETC.

On September 30, we will be announcing the launch of an international appeal to raise funds to help Mordechai rebuild his life after his release.

We will also be encouraging people to join us in Israel to welcome Mordechai on his release from Askkelon Prison on April 22, 2004.

For more information about Vanunu, and to sign the international petition calling for his release, visit http://www.nonviolence.org/vanunu/ and http://www.vanunu.freeserve.co.uk/

arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)