The Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu might be heading back to jail soon for speaking to the international media. In 2004, Israel released Vanunu after he spent 18 years in jail for disclosing information that proved Israel had a stockpile of nuclear weapons. After he was released, Israel barred Vanunu from speaking to the foreign press, but Vanunu defied the order. He spoke to several foreign outlets, including Democracy Now! [Listen to 2004 interview: Pt. 1 || Pt. 2] On Monday, an Israeli court convicted him of violating the terms of his release from jail. This is Vanunu’s attorney, Michael Sfard.

Michael Sfard: “Today, in 2007, a person was found guilty of being in contact with other people, not for the content of what he said to them, but for the mere fact that he was talking to other people. This is not something that a liberal democracy in the 21st century should be doing, and this is a very frightening situation, almost Orwellian situation, every Israeli has to fear.”

Vanunu will be sentenced in two weeks. After the court’s ruling, Vanunu spoke with reporters outside the courtroom.

Mordechai Vanunu: “Today we have heard the verdict, says that Israel has atomic weapons. Everything is published here. And now the Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Shimon Peres can say to the world that Israel have atomic weapons, producing plutonium, neutron and hydrogen bomb. All the bomb that Israel refusing to accept and to admit that they have the bomb is here. But Israeli state, but Israeli court, this judge today say that I say that Israel has atomic weapons, and he’s finding me guilty of saying this is true, so you and everyone in the world can say that Israel have atomic weapons, they have plutonium, neutron bomb and hydrogen bomb, it is writing here.”