Chronology & awards

Click here to view a list of awards received by Mordechai

The chronology has been updated as far as 21 April 2004. Gaps still remain. These will be filled as soon as possible.

13 October 1954
Born to a religious Jewish family in Morocco.

1963
Family immigrates to Israel.

1971-1974
Three years military service. First Sergeant.

Nov 76-Oct 85
Works as a nuclear technician at the 'Nuclear Reactor Centre', Dimona, Israel.

1980-85
Graduate and post-graduate studies in philosophy and geography.

Jan-May 1986
Travels in the Far East (Thailand, Burma, Nepal).

1986
Baptised in an Anglican church in Sydney, Australia.

September 1986
Debriefed by the Sunday Times and by scientists.

28 Sept 1986
The Sunday Mirror publishes Vanunu's story, with Mordechai's photograph, as a hoax.

30 Sept 1986
Disappeared. Israeli Secret Services lured Vanunu from London to Rome, where he was abducted after being drugged.

5 Oct 1986
Sunday Times publishes Mordechai's story with photographs of Dimona under title: "Revealed: The Secrets of Israel's Nuclear Arsenal". Andrew Neil, editor of the Sunday Times at that time, has since said that this was the most important scoop that the paper ever carried while he was editor.

9 Nov 1986
Israel admits for the first time that Vanunu is in its custody and being 'legally' detained.

22 Dec 1986
Mordechai flashes message to the press on the palm of his hand "I was hijacked in Rome 30.9.86..."

January 1987
Italy opens investigation into the kidnapping.

8 Aug 1987
Meir Vanunu gives information on Mordechai's kidnapping to the press; an Israeli court issues a warrant for Meir's arrest.

30 August 1987
Mordechai's trial begins.

December 1987
Mordechai is awarded the Right Livelihood Award in Sweden (the "Alternative Nobel Prize").

1988
Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation publishes the book Israel's Bomb - the First Victim. The Case of Mordechai Vanunu.

February 1988
The Danish Peace Foundation Award.

24 March 1988
Convicted of treason, espionage and revealing state secrets.

27 March 1988
Sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.

June 1988
Italy closed investigation of the kidnapping "for lack of evidence.

27 May 1990
Appeal against conviction and sentence was rejected by Israel's Supreme Court.

14 June 1990
First resolution in the European Parliament calling for the release of Mordechai.

20 Nov 1990
Second European Parliament resolution.

1991
Book, Trial and Error - Mordechai Vanunu and Israel's Nuclear Bomb written by Tom Gilling and John McKnight.

Jul/Aug 1991
The Jerusalem District Court and Supreme Court reject appeals to end the solitary confinement.

October 1991
Amnesty International issues its report 'Third resolution of the European Parliament concerned with Mordechai's continuing isolution'.

December 1991
Last appeal for rehearing of the case rejected by the Supreme Court.

21 Dec 1991
First large demonstration outside the Israeli Embassy in London. Many celebrities take it in turns to sit inside a makeshift cell. Wide publicity given to the event.

1992
BBC programme Open Space - 'First Nuclear Hostage'.

March 1992
Demonstration outside the Israeli Embassy in London to mark 2,000 days in solitary confinement. This month also marks the start of the weekly Saturday vigil, still going through.

October 1993
Free Vanunu Now benefit at Hackney Empire - a wide range of celebrities take part.

May 1994
Amnesty International calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Mordechai.

9 August 1994
Sit-in at the Israeli consulate in Boston. Four people arrested.

October 1994
Mordechai's 40th birthday - Harold Pinter cuts the cake at a special gathering to mark the occasion. In Barcelona Mordechai is awarded the prestigious International Peace Bureau Sean McBride Peace Prize. Mordechai is refused permission to receive the prize personally.

November 1994
The Times reports story in Jane's Intelligence Review confirming Israel has 200 nuclear warheads.

20 November 1994
Second benefit for Mordechai.

December 1994
Delegation of high-profile names visits Israel to plead for the release of Mordechai. Receives wide publicity. Visits Ashkelon Prison and meets with President Weizman.

December 1994
Reports in Te Aviv daily Ha'Aretz that Dedi Zucker, Chair of Legislation Committee of Knesset and Moshe Shahal, Minister of Police, pay Mordechai a surprise visit.

10 Dec 1994
Norwegian supporters of Mordechai set up a replica of Vanunu's cell with banners along the route followed by Peace Prize winners Peres and Rabin.

24 Dec 1994.
Mordechai's 3000th day in solitary confinement marked by demonstration at the Israeli Embassy, supporting statement placed in five newspapers: In Israel, USA, Egypt and in Britain in the Guardian and Jewish Chronicle.

End of 1994
By the end of the year in the USA 34 people arrested during demonstrations and occupations of Israeli offices and consulates.

Early 1995
Throughout this period Mordechai receives wide coverage in Israeli press, particularly on the details of his kidnapping in Ha'Aretz on 24 March 1995.

12 March 1995
Mordechai breaks his long silence with letter to Susannah York.

27 March 1995
Anniversary of Mordechai's 18-year sentence. 22,000-name petition handed in at Israeli Embassy.

March 1995
After challenging the Israeli censor, Ha'Aretz carried interviews with sailors confirming the kidnapping of Mordechai from Italy.

July 1995
Mordechai wins some conditional concessions through his petition to Israeli court in Beersheba. His hearing receives widespread coverage throughout the Israeli media with dramatic photographs from outside the court.

September 1995
A medical delegation of British doctors goes to Israel to visit Mordechai in prison. It is refused permission to see him.

September 1995
Sam Day, the organiser of the US Campaign to Free Vanunu and Jack Cohen - Joppa, editor of the Nuclear Resister (USA), start two week tour of Britain to raise consciousness about Mordechai.

10 Dec 1995
Professor Joseph Rotblat, at his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance ceremony in Oslo, says, "Whistle-blowing should become part of the scientific ethos." He supports the release of Mordechai and adds, "...he has suffered enough."

Spring 1996
Five Amnesty International groups in Australia, France, Germany, UK and USA take up Mordechai's case.

28 September 96
Fourth Free Vanunu Benefit at the Camden Centre.

October 1996
International conference in Tel Aviv: Democracy, Human Rights and Mordechai Vanunu. Chaired by Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Joseph Rotblat and attended by Susannah York and many well-known scientists including Daniel Ellsberg with high-profile Israeli figures taking part.

6 April 1997
Sunday Times carries a story of tracking down 'Cindy' (Cheryl Ben-Tov), the Mossad agent who helped kidnap Mordechai in 1986, in Orlando, Florida. She disappeared before planned interview.

August 1997
Mister V, a one-man play about Vanunu by Local Theatre, an Israeli theatre group, goes to Edinburgh Fringe Festival, after playing at the King's Head in London.

August 1997
Book Voices for Vanunu, a reprint of papers presented at the 1996 international conference in Tel Aviv, Democracy, Human Rights and Mordechai Vanunu. Over 1500 copies sold.

September 1997
International vigil in Israel, marking Vanunu's 11th year in prison.

November 1997
Biblical Productions makes a documentary film "The Vanunu Story", shown in the Jerusalem Film Festival.

1997
Fifth benefit at Jackson's Lane Community Centre raises £1000.

1997
Trans World International includes Vanunu's story in its 11th of 13 one-hour series of videos covering events in the 20th century.

30 Sept 1997
Supporters demonstrate in many cities across four continents to mark Mordechai's 11th year in solitary confinement. Three people arrested at the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

October 1997
Court in Israel finds that death from leukaemia of technician Haim Itach was due to his work at Dimona and awards his family £985,000 in compensation.

Mr. & Mrs. Eoloff, a couple from Minnesota (USA) succeed in adopting Mordechai as their son.

Early 1998
Sir Martin Gilbert in his book Israel: A History devotes two pages to Mordechai's story.

1998
A 3D computer animation film by David Jenkins wins 1st Prize in Amnesty International UK's design competition "Get Up! Design Up!"

17 February 1998
Mary and Nicholas Eoloff, Mordechai's adoptive parents, are granted their first visit to Mordechai.

20 February 1998
Twenty-five winners of the humanitarian Right Livelihood Award call for the release of Mordechai Vanunu. They write to the Prime Minister and President of Israel.

12 March 1998
text.
Vanunu is released from solitary confinement after 11 1/2 years.

March 1998
Veterans Against Nuclear Arms (VANA) - a group of scientists against nuclear weapons - unanimously ask Mordechai to be an honorary member. He agrees.

22 March 1998
Australian Senate unanimously suypports a resolution calling fo Mordechai to be included in the Israeli 50th year Jubilee release of prisoners.

April 1998
Mr. V. performed in nine cities in US and Canada, later in Cologne, Germany.

April 1998
Former US President Jimmy Carter adds his name to the appeal by writing to President Weizman asking him to grant clemency to Vanunu.

10 April 1998
600 Israeli academics call on authorities to release Mordechai in an advert in Ha'Aretz.

14 April 1998
rustees of the Campaign to Free Vanunu deliver 17,280 named international petition to the Israeli Embassy in London calling for his immediate and unconditional release.

17-21 April 1998
Lord Avebury and Jeremy Corbyn MP, representing the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee, visit Israel. Joined by Susannah York (trustee), they meet officials from President Weizman's and Prime Minister Netanyahu's office and deliver the International Clemency Appeal. Also visit Ashkelon Prison without seeing Mordechai - good media coverage in Israel.

4 May 1998
Parole hearing into release on completion of two-thrids of the term, is turned down.

June 1998
Report-back meeting by Clemency Delegation at the House of Commons.

June 1998
Mordechai's lawyers Avigdor Feldman and Ronit Robinson meet Mordechai and Yossi Katz MP.

21 July 1998
Mordechai receives the First Episcopal Church award for courageous and conscientious witness for peace and justice - Philadelphia.

August 1998
New Clematis plant is named "Mr. Vanunu" by its English creator.

August 1998
Vanunu and the Bomb, a book in Hebrew on the 1966 Conference in Tel Aviv, is published by the Israeli campaign.

September 1998
International vigil in Israel, marking Vanunu's 12th year in prison. Eighteen people take part in week of action for Vanunu in Israel. Includes attempted "citizens' inspection" of Dimona, during which nine delegates and an Israeli are arrested, but not charged.

30 Sept 1998
Demonstrations in many cities around the world to mark the anniversary of the kidnapping.

24 October 1998
6th annual benefit, Leighton House in Kensington.

March 1999
Appeal against parole refusal dismissed by three district court judges.

22 April 1999
Vigil outside the Israeli Embassy in London starts its 8th year of continuous Saturday picketing.

23 April 1999
President Clinton sends letter to 36 members of Congress who had signed a letter to him asking him to urge Israel to release Mordechai. Clinton writes that he is 'concerned' about the Vanunu case and about the Israeli nuclear programme.

May 1999
One-day international conference in Rome on Vanunu's kidnapping. Chaired by Professor Rotblat with many Italian speakers; leads to moves to re-open Vanunu's case in the Italian Parliament and courts, without success.

DATE
Three Right Livelihood Award laureates travel to Israel to deliver a statement in support of Mordechai from the 25th anniversary Right Livelihood Award conference in Salzburg.

1999
Book The Woman from Mossad - The Torment of Mordechai Vanunu written by Peter Hounam and published by Vision Books.

30 Sept 1999
Once again, supporters of the Campaign to Free Vanunu take to the streets of cities and towns in many countries, with leaflets, placards, makeshift cells and petitions.

October 1999
Members of the Israeli Campaign to Free Vanunu meet with Yossi Beilin, Justice Minister in the newly elected 'One Israel' government.

4 October 1999
Trustees of the British Campaign meet with Mr. Yerushalmi - Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs at the Israeli Embassy - to pursue issues surrounding Mordechai's prison conditions, his possible parole and the unacceptable delay to his correspondence from prison. No conclusion: Mr. Yerushalmi promised to look into complaints. (He does not get back to the Campaign despite further letters.)

23 October 1999
1999 7th annual benefit for Mordechai raises over £1000.

November 1999
Members of the Israeli Campaign lodge a complaint with the Press Ethics Committee against Yediot Aharonot for publishing a story that accused Vanunu of supplying bomb-making information to other prisoners including members of Hamas. The prison authority denied the storyon the same day. (In June 2000 the Ethics Comittee finds that the paper had violated clause 8 of the code of ethics requiring them to have sought a response from Mordechai before printing the story. Mordechai is now suing the paper.)

24 Nov 1999
After a long appeal battle and an appeal to the Supreme Court, Yediot Aharonot publish eight of over 2000 pages of transcripts from Mordechai's original trial. Mordechai and his lawyer, Mr. Feldman, continue to demand the release of all the trial papers.

January 2000
Reports in the Israeli press that Yossi Kats MK visited Mordechai in prison for 1 1/2 hours. He reported that Mordechai was calm and determned and that he would not ask for a pardon. Mordechai said he had no regrets; that he was not a spy and that he did what he did because he was concerned about nuclear weapons, which he had always opposed.

2 February 2000
The first-ever debate about Israel's nuclear weapons takes place in the Knesset. The debate is sponsored by Issam Makhoul, an Arab MK and member of the Hadash party. Dr Ray Kidder, a leading figure in the US nuclear weapons programme, who was also a seniorphysicist at the Lawrence Livermore National laboratory for 35 years until 1990, travels to Israel to support Vanunu's plea for parole. He reads out his statement at a press conference before the Knesset debate starts and then delivers his statement to the parole board. This statement concludes, "These considerations lead to theconclusion that Vanunu possesses no technical information that could endanger Israeli security. A conclusion to the contrary is unjustified by any evidence known to me." Another Early Day Motion welcomes the historic debate in the Knesset and Mordechai's part in raising the issue of Israel's nuclear weapons, and calls for his immediate release. Sponsored by Jeremy Corbyn,. MP and signed by 49 MPs.

March 2000
It is reported in the Israeli newspaper Ha'Aretz that Prime Minister Barak has asked President Clinton to renew America's 'nuclear pledge', made to the previous PM Netanyahu, that any US initiative would not undermine Israel's security.

Spring 2000
The USA Campaign produces a very useful pamphlet: The case of Mordechai Vanunu, Fiction v Fact.The pamphlet carefully answers, point by point, the lies, innuendo and inconsistencies in the letters written by the Israeli authorities to defend their treatment of Mordechai.

May 2000
After waiting fo over a year Mordechai's second application fo parole is refused. He and his lawyers are not even allowed the opportunity to put their case to the parole board.

24 May 2000
In Israel one hundred women attend a meeting in the Knesset to mark Women's International Day for Peace and Disarmament. Nick and Mary Eoloff, Vanunu's adoptive parents, are the guests of honour.

26 May 2000
Nearly 200 people gather near Dimona Nuclear Establishment in the largest ever anti-nuclear demonstration in the history of Israel. Initiated by Bat Shalom (Daughter of Peace).

May 2000
Mordechai has a row with the prison authorities because they say he went missing for nearly one hour. He had been sitting in the sun. The authorities panic and demand that Mordechai report his whereabouts 2-3 times an hour. He refuses, as he feels he is once again being victimised. As a result he is thrown back into solitary confinement and kept there for four months.

12 June 2000
Mr. Vanunu, a new hybrid clematis, is registered with the Royal Horticultural Society.

18 June 2000
Israel test fires its first cruise missiles from recently acquired German submarines, thereby encouraging a renewed escalation of the Middle East arms race.

Summer 2000
Most of Mordechai's trial transcripts are finally released. The Israeli campaign sets about producing an English translation.

7 September 2000
Mordechai submits a defamation suit against Yediot Aharonot for their libellous article printed the previous year (see Nov. 1999). He sues for 30 million shekels at the Tel Aviv District Court.

26-29 Sept 2000
To mark the 14th anniversary of Vanunu's kidnapping the USA Campaign organises a full programme of events. On the first day, a conference with representatives from the U.S., Canada, Norway and England, with international speakers. On the second day, a dawn til dusk vigil at the Israeli Embassy includes lobbying of congressional representatives. And on the third day a mass rally, involving civil disobedience, at the Embassy - nine arrested. Demonstrations also held in many other U. S. cities.

September 2000
Free Vanunu banners hung from Anglican church, in Sydney, where Mordechai was baptised in 1986. Banners call for this release and draw attention to his kidnapping 14 years before. Action receives a lot of attention from visitors to the Olympics and is reported on national radio.

30 Sept 2000
The British campaign holds a 12-hour vigil outside the Israeli Embassy with many of its well-known 'names' joining in to sit in a cell for half hour periods, as witness of their support for Mordechai. As a result of all the messages left for Vanunu a booklet, Messages for Mordechai, is produced. It also includes all of Mordechai's poems and an early letter to his brothers. Demonstrations are also held in Leicester, Salisbury and other European cities.

October 2000
The International Peace Bureau's Paris AGM unanimously votes for Vanunu to be made a vice-president. A card signed by all the delegates is sent.

18 Nov 2000
Eighth benefit at Conway Hall. Issam Makhoul, the MK who forced through the nuclear debate earlier in the year, in the Knesset, comes to speak. Over £1000 is raised.

December 2000
Elected Humanist of the Year 2000 by the Church of Humanism. Their message to Vanunu: "You are honest, courageous and morally highly motivated, and the great sacrifice you have made served to protect not only those living in Israel, but all the peoples of the Middle East and perhaps the world."

January 2001
Audiences in Calgary, Montreal and Toronto in Canada get the chance to see a new play about Mordechai. Called I am Your Spy - A Day in the Life of Mordechai Vanunu, it was written and acted by Camyar Chai and directed by Norman Arthur for BRumble and Neworld Theatre Production.

8 January 2001
1976 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire, of the Peace People in Northern Ireland, issues a press release declaring she had nominated Mordechai Vanunu for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize, for his personal sacrifice and struggle against nuclear weapons in general, and the Israeli programme in particular.

15 January 2001
Jeremy Corbyn MP tables another Early Day Motion (EDM)in the British Parliament welcoming Vanunu's nomination to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The Motion is signed by 44 other MPs from all parties.

18 January 2001
Charges are dropped in the US against all those arrested outside the Israeli Embassy on September 28th 2000.

26 January 2001
Massive blow to the Campaign to Free Vanunu: Sam Day, the US co-ordinator dies suddenly at the age of 74. Condolences and tributes pour in from many different organisations and individuals, in the US and around the world, recognising his lifelong activities for peace and justice. He spent many days in prison for his beliefs, and was given a number of awards for his work as a journalist and peace campaigner. He is sorely missed.

18 February 2001
The British campaign holds a very successful art auction and exhibition of paintings,photographs and cartoons - the great majority donated by the artists. Over 100 people crowd into the auction room and by the end of the evening £10,000 has been raised.

15 May 2001
Vanunu is awarded an honorary doctorate at Tromso University in recognition of his sacrifices for freedom of speech and peace. Professor Joseph Rotblat, the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, presents the award to Meir Vanunu on behalf of his brother. The ceremony gets wide coverage in the Norwegian media.

Summer 2001
In its 2001 bulletin the British campaign announces a poetry competition encouraging poems on freedom, freedom of speech, courage and imprisonment, with a first prize of £250 and a second prize of £50. There is also a prize of £50 for under-12s.

25 Sept 2001
Annual worldwide demonstrations and vigils to mark the day, 16 years before, when Vanunu was kidnapped. This year demonstrations take the form of a 24-hour rolling vigil, starting in Auckland, New Zealand at noon their time. This is followed by Sydney, Hiroshima, New Delhi and Chennai (Madras), Jerusalem, Oslo, Lisbon, London; then to Boston and Washington, DC before finishing in San Francisco. Vigils also take place in Stockholm and other cities, and Leicester and Salisbury in England, but on different days. All the vigils send birthday cards to Vanunu for October 13th. On the same day the Israeli group organises a letter from 12 prominent European, American and Israeli rabbis to the Israeli President Moshe Katsaw, asking that he pardon Mordechai Vanunu on 'humanitarian grounds.' The letter gets good coverage in Israel.

November 2001
Early in the month Israeli television shows a documentary titled "A Bomb in the Basement - Israel's Nuclear Option." This is the first time that Israeli TV has dealt so openly and comprehensively with this taboo subject. The programme also concentrates on the pivotal involvement of Shimon Peres in the whole Israeli nuclear programme.

November 2001
Nick and Mary Eoloff, Vanunu's adoptive parents, visit him in Ashkelon Prison - now twice a year. They report the visit went well and that Mordechai is in good health, strong physically and mentally.

17 November 2001
Ninth Free Vanunu benefit at Conway Hall in London. A good audience as usual hears a variety of performers. Akiva Orr, one of the original members of the Campaign to Free Vanunu, comes from Israel with news of Mordechai and the Israeli campaign.

22 Dec 2001
A large crowd gathers outside the Israeli Embassy in London to mark the 10th anniversary of the first Saturday vigil. They listen to readings, messages, poems and a choir. A banner proclaiming "Free Vanunu" in eight languages, is unfurled for this occasion. A message from the vigil goes to Mordechai.

29 December 2001
The internationally known Canadian pianist and Beethoven expert Anton Kuerti has a full-page article published in the Toronto Globe and Mail. This follows correspondence between Kuerti and Mordechai about the Beethoven opera "Fidelio", and the similarities between Mordechai's story and that of Florestan, the opera's hero.

8 January 2002
Following the article, the Canadian Broadcasting Company broadcasts an interview with Kuerti in which he speaks at length about Vanunu and Israel's nuclear arsenal. Kuerti also reads Vanunu's poem, "I am Your Spy."

18 January 2002
Israeli TV, Channel 2, shows a damning special report, which reveals the deadly dangers of the Dimona nuclear reactor; watched by hundreds of thousands.

April 2002
George Galloway MP, an outspoken critic of the Labour Government for its policies on the Middle East and Israel and Palestine, tables an Early Day Motion in the British Parliament. It says, "This House, based on the evidence of the brave Jewish whistle blower, Mordechai Vanunu, recognises Israel as a nuclear weapons state. It is signed by 32 MPs.

4 May 2002
Mordechai is awarded the first-ever Sam Day Memorial Peacemakers Award. Mary and Nick Eoloff receive the award on behalf of Mordechai. Sam's widow Kathleen and their son were present. The award was given by the Lakes and Prairies Life Community. The plaque was designed by Bonnie Urfer while in prison for a nuclear action.

May 2002
Mary and Nick visit Mordechai taking the very striking Sam Day Award with them. They are not allowed to show it personally to Mordechai, and they are also stopped from talking about the kidnapping. Mordechai is well and fit and the Eoloffs report that once released Mordechai would like to go to the US and teach American history. Before their second visit they learn that Mordechai and Feldman (his lawyer) have been in court to argue that the original trial transcripts should be released. Mordechai is pleased with what is said at the hearing, though, subsequently, the transcripts are not released. For the first time in three years the court allows Mordechai to be photographed. His photo appears next day throughout the Israeli media.

June 2002
The US and British Campaign groups club together to pay $2400 into the court to progress Mordechai's libel claim for 500,000 New Israeli shekels against the newspaper Yediot Aharonot - see November 1999 for story.

5 June 2002
The Guardian carries a sympathetic full page interview with Nick and Mary Eoloff.

July 2002
In Israel, the weekly paper Tel Aviv devotes five full pages and its cover to a surprisingly friendly, in-depth interview with the Eoloffs, covering in particular their visits to Ashkelon Prison to see Mordechai.

September 2002
Mordechai receives the Francisca Mateos Foundation annual prize for his struggle for world peace. (In previous years it was awarded to Aun San Kyii and the Dalai Lama.)

30 Sept 2002
As usual on the anniversary of Vanunu's kidnapping, there are vigils and actions around the world in support of Mordechai; in Boston, Washington, DC and San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver, Lisbon, Stockholm, Sydney and Wellington (NZ), Rome - for the first time - Hiroshima and in London, Salisbury and Leicester. In Washington four people are arrested outside the Israeli Embassy for refusing to move until they talk to some one from the Embassy. In San Francisco, Daniel Ellsberg delivers an inspiring talk to a full meeting in praise of Vanunu and concerning the damage of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. The Israeli campaign writes a letter to Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General, asking him to send a team of independent inspectors to Israel, to make sure Israel poses "no threat to its neighbours, its own population or the world."

October 2002
A number of articles about Vanunu appear in England and in the US. Daniel Ellsberg uses his radio interviews and public meetings on this US tour to launch his new book to support Mordechai strongly.

4 October 2002
A well-argued and powerful article by Hilary Wainwright, supporting Vanunu and his cause, is published in the Guardian. It generates wide backing for the Campaign.

5 October 2002
Nick and Mary Eoloff travel to St. Petersburg, Russia, to receive the Nuclear-Free Future Award - Resistance section, on behalf of Mordechai. The award is endowed with a sum of $5000. There is a large reception and a tree is planted for the three award winners.

8 October 2002
A meeting is organised in the European Parliament, by the British Campaign, with the help of Labour MEP Phillip Witehead and Jean Lambert, a Green Party MEP. Although it is a small meeting, the wording of a resolution is agreed, which will be presented for signatures, and if it gains enough support it will then go forward for a vote. (Forty cross party MEPs eventually sign.)

28 October 2002
The parole hearing is cancelled the night before it is to take place. The reason given is that the Judge is ill! Few people believe this scenario. It is over a week before a new date - November 24th at 10 am - is set.

The gap between the dates above and below will be filled in as soon as possible.

26 January 2004
Meeting in the House of Lords Chaired by Lord Corbett, the filled-to-capacity Mosses room (about 100 people) saw the BBC2 film, Israel's Secret Weapon. Afterwards, Olenka Frankiel, the journalist who played a central role in the film, and Ernest Rodker spoke about events since the film was made and responded to questions.

22 February 2004
At the Liberal Synagogue in John's Wood Road, London, a panel of speakers dicussed the topic 'Human rights and Mordechai Vanunu'. The Speakers included Susannah York, Helen Bamber and Peter Hounam. Over 100 people attended this last major event before Mordechai's release.

21 April 2004
Mordechai released from prison!

7 October 2004
VANUNU RECEIVES LENNON ONO PEACE GRANT AWARD
Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu is one of two people awarded the 2004 biennial LennonOno Grant For Peace by Yoko Ono. Ono said that Vanunu, and journalist Seymour Hersh, who will each receive a $50,000 grant, epitomize her late husband John Lennon's song, "Gimme Some Truth." Ono personally selected this year's recipients for their courage in seeking truth as a means to a more peaceful world.
Click here to read Mordechai's acceptance speech

VANUNU WAS FREED ON 21ST APRIL 2004
YET STILL REMAINS HELD IN ISRAEL AGAINST HIS WILL