Mordechai Vanunu

{{Audio|He-Mordechai_Vanunu.ogg|Mordechai Vanunu}} (מרדכי ואנונו) (born October 13, 1954), also known by his baptismal name John Crossman, is an Israeli former nuclear technician who revealed details of Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British press in 1986. He was subsequently lured to Rome by an American Mossad agent, abducted and smuggled to Israel, where he was tried behind closed doors and convicted of treason.

Related Topics:
October 13 - 1954 - Baptism - Israel - Nuclear - Israel's nuclear weapons program - British press - Mossad - Treason

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After 18 years in prison, more than 11 years of which were served in solitary confinement, Vanunu was released from prison in 2004, subject to a broad array of restrictions on his speech and movement. Since then he has been briefly arrested several times for multiple violations of those restrictions, including giving various interviews to foreign journalists and attempting to leave Israel. In March 2005 he was charged with 21 counts of "contravening a lawful direction", with a maximum of two years' imprisonment per count, and then released to await trial, though he remains under the same restrictions as before.

Related Topics:
Solitary confinement - Prison - Speech - Movement

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Vanunu was seen by many human rights groups as a prisoner of conscience. The Israeli government still considers him a traitor, and Vanunu continues to be highly critical of Israel's actions, even rejecting the need for a Jewish state.

Related Topics:
Human rights - Prisoner of conscience - Jewish state

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