A Letter from the Nobel Peace Laureates

14 June 2004

To: Menachem Mazuz, Attorney General
The Knesset
Jerusalem Israel

Dear Menachem Mazuz,

We, the undersigned Nobel Peace Laureates, are writing to ask you to reconsider your passport restrictions regarding Mordechai Vanunu and his right to leave Israel and travel freely.

At the moment of his release and, to the best of our knowledge, since then Vanunu has shown no interest in discussing or referring to his work at Dimona or his experiences in prison. As he said at the prison gates, "I am not harming Israel, I am not interested in Israel... I want to live my life in a quiet place.".

Many eminent scientists from around the world, have declared, time and time again, that Vanunu, a junior technician at Dimona, could have no knowledge of sensitive secrets after so many years spent in prison. We wish to echo his words on leaving Ashkelon prison, "There are no more secrets. All the secrets were published and are in hands of the whole world.".

We should like to endorse the Times editorial of April 26th, 2004, which, under the headline "Let Vanunu Leave. He should be allowed to quit Israel immediately.", draws attention to the proliferation of death threats against him and calls for the Israeli Prime Minister to allow Mr. Vanunu to leave Israel.

Mordechai Vanunu is not accused of being a terrorist; the use of the Emergency Powers, passed by the British Mandate in 1945, to restrict his movements is not, we believe, appropriate; he has been released without

conditions and is facing no new criminal charges. Surely now, in respect of these facts and humanitarian concerns, is the time to show the strength of Israel's democracy and rule of law and to afford Mr. Vanunu the freedom he has earned by granting him his passport, allowing him to leave Israel so he can start to rebuild his life in another country of his choice.

Yours sincerely,

Archbishop Desmond Tutu -Nobel Peace Prize 1984
Professor Joseph Rotblat -Nobel Peace Prize 1995
Betty Williams -Nobel Peace Prize 1976
Mairead Corrigan Maguire -Nobel Peace Prize 1976
Jody Williams -Nobel Peace Prize 1997
Amnesty International -Nobel Peace Prize 1977
International Peace Bureau -Nobel Peace Prize 1910