PR December 8, 2010
For the First Time in 49 Years a NON-Presentation of the Carl von Ossietzky Medal
Modechai Vanunu is barred from traveling to Berlin
The International League of Human Rights (ILHR) will most likely not be able to award the Carl von Ossietzky Medal in this year’s ceremony. As the situation stands currently, the award winner, Mordechai Vanunu, will not be able to leave Israel, to personally accept his award in Berlin.
The award presentation planned for December 12 must be transformed into a manifestation of protest. The ILHR is therefore calling for many to participate in this NON-Presentation of the Carl von Ossietzky Medal protest demonstration, which will also initiate the international campaign:
„Freedom of Travel for the Whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu!
The letter Vanunu’s defense attorney, Michael Sfard, sent to the Israeli Interior Ministry, seeking permission for Vanunu to take the trip, has remained unanswered. The award presentation makes no sense without the physical presence of the guest of honor. Through his defense attorney, Modechai Vanunu explicitly expressed the urgent request that the award presentation in Berlin only take place in his presence. The presidium of the ILHR sees itself duty-bound to respect this wish.
At the same time, the presidium is disappointed and appalled that all efforts have been in vain: Neither an open letter addressed to the political leaders of Israel, signed by renowned international personalities such as author, Guenter Grass (Germany), Nobel Chemistry Prize laureate Harry Kroto (GB), Nobel Physics Prize laureate, Jack Steinberg (USA), French Ambassador, Stéphane Hessel, Alternative Nobel Prize laureate, Daniel Ellsberg (USA), author/politician Ronnie Kasrils (South Africa) and others had any effect, nor the urgent appeal addressed to Israeli President, Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the occasion of the 65th Anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, signed by the six female Nobel Peace Prize laureates among them Shirin Ebadi, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Jody Williams. Download NON-PRESENTATION PROTEST MEETING
The ILHR protests against the obviously sanctioned Israeli legal practice that permits the state to continue limiting Mordechai Vanunu’s rights after his having served a full 18 year prison sentence. Vanunu is not allowed to leave Israel, to have freedom of movement on Israeli territory nor express his opinion to representatives of foreign media, embassies or other persons. This sort of a „progressive prolongation of sentence“ that he has endured since 2004 is a violation of universal human rights, explicitly Art. 14, parag. 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Together with Vanunu’s lawyer, we ask whether „Israel is interested in joining the unlovely ranks of nations, who prevented their citizens from receiving international prizes by preventing their arrival at ceremonies?‚“
At the moment Mordechai Vanunu is sharing the fate of Liu Xiabo, who is being prevented from leaving China to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for 2010.
For a world without nuclear weapons!
Put nuclear weapon free zones on the agenda now and everywhere!
Sunday, December 12, at 11:00 in the GRIPS Theater, Altonaer Str. 22, 10557 Berlin
The press conference begins at 13:00 at the same location. Beginning at 13:30 it will be possible to have interviews. (Further Information in the attachment and at ilmr.de)
