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Update on Mordechai Vanunu
Ernest Rodker (Campaign for a Nuclear-free Middle East)
DATELINE: 25/2/08
Just recently we have, once again, seen our suspicions confirmed concerning the special treatment afforded Israel. It's the story of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) attempt to stop the release of the Williams draft of the Iraq dossier, with its notated mention of Israel (Guardian 21 February 2008 'How Labour used the law to keep criticism of Israel secret').
The FCO represented by Neil Wigan, head of the Arab, Israel and North Africa section, argued before a specially convened tribunal, that Israel would be upset if its name appeared, even if just scribbled in the margin of the dossier, associated with mention of nuclear weapons in the Middle East. The decision, as you may have seen, was to release the document but mention of Israel was censored. However, despite this gross show of prejudice towards Israel, the story of what happened did get wide coverage in the media, which is good news. And Vanunu's involvement in the exposure of Israel's nuclear weapons was mentioned in some of the articles.
We make mention of the above episode because we understand there is, at present, another attempt to get a meeting with the FCO to take up Mordechai's case; the above account shows how difficult it will be to make progress at such a meeting.
Meanwhile, Mordechai was to appear in court at the beginning of last week, but there was another postponement; this time a small fall of snow(!) was mentioned as reason for the delay. The hearing was to resolve the issue of Mordechai's community service, which had been agreed as an alternative to the possible six month prison sentence for talking to foreigners. However, problems arose with this agreement: there turned out to be no community service in East Jerusalem, and there are still the restrictions that stop Mordechai leaving East Jerusalem without permission. And, apart from this, Mordechai says he would be in danger in West Jerusalem and that he didn't agree to work there. The postponed court hearing will be to resolve these conflicting issues, if it can!
Now, regarding actions to support Mordechai and his efforts to leave Israel; Glasgow continues to lead the way. Just last week, as Mordechai's period as Rector of the local University is coming to its end, Glasgow City Council passed a resolution, proposed by one of the Green councillors, calling for the Council to support campaigns for the release of Vanunu. The resolution was passed by 39 to 23 votes, despite the efforts of the Zionist lobby to stop the proposal and debate. This story stirred up quite a fuss in Scotland but, as far as we know, it has received little coverage outside Scotland.
Other news:
Mordechai has just completed a 13 minute interview for Eileen Flemming for her online site: We Are Wide Awake. For viewing, see www.wearewideawake.org. Also on the site is a recent article about Mordechai, written by Eileen.
Elsewhere, we have been informed of one other encouraging initiative being taken to nominate Mordechai for an honorary degree at York University. We are hopeful that this will get good support from the University, faculty and students.
LINKSWe Are Wide Awake
Last modified: Monday, February 25, 2008
Previous free speech & censorship stories
'We must be able to show world as it is'
CPBF response to the cartoons
Derek Pasquill
Pasquill Trial collapses
Campaigners welcome FoI climbdown
UPDATE on Vanunu+free speech attacked in USA
Murdoch is "all business" - zero ethics
UPDATE on Vanunu+free speech attacked in USA
Murdoch takeover of WSJ 'is bad news'
Vanunu faces further prison sentence
Campaigners win official secrets case concession
Police attempt raid of Camp for Climate Action
Only slightly Kafkaesque
Signs of cabinet u-turn on FOI
Swiss trio cleared by military court
The battle goes on
State interest v public interest
Review: The Truth is Out There
A very British coup
50 years of censorship
Trial Exposes Bush-Blair Secrets
FoI rethink
Downing St will throw aide to the wolves
Galloway accuses BBC over Blair disc 'ban'
Secrets, lies and diplomats
MPs seek special exemption from FoI laws
Fighting back for freedom
Access all areas?
Secrets trial to be secret
Libel ruling is victory for British journalism
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Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
Free Speech & Censorship
'We must be able to show world as it is'
CPBF response to the cartoons
Derek Pasquill
Pasquill Trial collapses
Campaigners welcome FoI climbdown
UPDATE on Vanunu+free speech attacked in USA
Murdoch is "all business" - zero ethics
UPDATE on Vanunu+free speech attacked in USA
Murdoch takeover of WSJ 'is bad news'
Vanunu faces further prison sentence
Campaigners win official secrets case concession
Police attempt raid of Camp for Climate Action
Only slightly Kafkaesque
Signs of cabinet u-turn on FOI
Swiss trio cleared by military court
The battle goes on
State interest v public interest
Review: The Truth is Out There
A very British coup
50 years of censorship
Trial Exposes Bush-Blair Secrets
FoI rethink
Downing St will throw aide to the wolves
Galloway accuses BBC over Blair disc 'ban'
Secrets, lies and diplomats
MPs seek special exemption from FoI laws
Fighting back for freedom
Access all areas?
Secrets trial to be secret
Libel ruling is victory for British journalism
