Nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu, who has been kidnapped in Italy by Israel’s intelligence operatives in Italy in 1986 and has spent 18 years behind bars because of disclosing the country’s covert nuclear weapons program and the Dimona nuclear plant has been sentenced to another three months in jail after he had refused community service in West Jerusalem because of fears of being harassed by Jews.

Rights group Amnesty International has urged Israel not to re-imprison Vanunu.

“If Mordechai Vanunu is imprisoned again, Amnesty International will declare him to be a prisoner of conscience and call for his immediate and unconditional release,” deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa Philip Luther said in a statement.

Vanunu had received an honorary doctorate by the University of Tromsø, which is currently my employer.

Israel is regarded by many as the only democracy in the Middle East. The country has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty but its nuclear warheads are tolerated by western powers.

Last update May 12, 2010.