The board of Norwegian PEN has nominated Israeli writer and nuclear physicist Mordechai Vanunu as new City of Asylum writer in Kristiansand, Norway. (19-APR-05)

The board of Norwegian PEN has nominated Vanunu to take over the vacancy as Citiy of Asylum writer in Kristiansand in the southern part of Norway.  Local authorities, including the City of Asylum coordinator and the chair of the city´s cultural section, state: “We are entirely positive in welcoming Mordechai Vanunu from Israel as our coming City of Asylum writer.”

Norwegian PEN has worked with the Vanunu case for a number of years through resolutions, petitions and direct inquiries to Israeli authorities.  Considering these circumstances, this is an old case which we are now trying to find a new way to solve.  Says Norwegian PEN president Kjell Olaf Jensen: “Political implications should not be brought into consideration by an unpolitical freedom of expression-organization.  The politicans do their job and they react accordingly, we do our job which concerns the oppression of freedom of expression

Jensen has already talked to Vanunu on the phone and he is very grateful for Norwegian PENs initiative.  What remains to be done is to have Vanunu approved by the Norwegian immigration authorities and to bring him to Norway and Kristiansand.