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CONTACT: Bradley Manning Support Network Mike Gogulski |
Supporters Call for End to Inhumane Treatment of Bradley Manning
QUANTICO, VA - December 22 - After trying other avenues of recourse, the Bradley Manning Support Network is urging supporters to engage in direct protest in order to halt the punitive conditions of the soldier's detention. Bradley Manning, 23, has been held in solitary confinement in military jails since his arrest in late May on allegations that he passed classified material to WikiLeaks..
In the wake of an investigative report last week by Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com giving evidence that Manning was subject to "detention conditions likely to create long-term psychological injuries", Manning's attorney, David Coombs, published an article at his website on Saturday entitled "A Typical Day for PFC Bradley Manning". Coombs details the maximum custody conditions that Manning is subject to at the Quantico Confinement Facility and highlights an additional set of restrictions imposed upon him under a Prevention of Injury (POI) watch order.
Usually enforced only through a detainee's first week at a confinement facility, the standing POI order has severely limited Manning's access to exercise, daylight and human contact for the past five months, despite calls from military psychologists to lift the order and the extra restrictions imposed.
Despite not having been convicted of any crime or even yet formally indicted, the confinement regime Manning lives under includes pronounced social isolation and a complete lack of opportunities for meaningful exercise. Additionally, Manning's sleep is regularly interrupted. Coombs writes: "The guards are required to check on Manning every five minutes [...] At night, if the guards cannot see PFC Manning clearly, because he has a blanket over his head or is curled up towards the wall, they will wake him in order to ensure he is okay."
Denver Nicks writes in The Daily Beast that "[Manning's] attorney [...] says the extended isolation - now more than seven months of solitary confinement - is weighing on his client's psyche. [...] Both Coombs and Manning's psychologist, Coombs says, are sure Manning is mentally healthy, that there is no evidence he's a threat to himself, and shouldn't be held in such severe conditions under the artifice of his own protection."
In an article to be published at Firedoglake.com later today, David House, a friend of Manning's who visits him regularly at Quantico, says that Manning "has not been outside or into the brig yard for either recreation or exercise in four full weeks. He related that visits to the outdoors have been infrequent and sporadic for the past several months."
Bradley Manning Support Network founder Mike Gogulski stated that "the Marine Brig is using injury prevention as a vehicle to inflict extreme pre-trial punishment on Bradley Manning. These conditions are not unheard-of during an inmate's first week at a military jail, but when applied continuously for months and with no end in sight they amount to a form of torture."
The Bradley Manning Support Network calls upon Quantico base commander COL Daniel Choike and brig commanding officer CWO4 James Averhart to put an end to these inhumane, degrading conditions. Additionally, the Network encourages supporters to phone COL Choike at +1-703-784-2707 or write to him at 3250 Catlin Avenue, Quantico, VA 22134, and to fax CWO4 Averhart at +1-703-784-4242 or write to him at 3247 Elrod Avenue, Quantico, VA 22134, to demand that Bradley Manning's human rights be respected while he remains in custody.
References:
"The inhumane conditions of Bradley Manning's detention", Glenn Greenwald, 15 December 2010, http://www.salon.com/news/
"A Typical Day for PFC Bradley Manning", David E. Coombs, 18 December 2010, http://www. "Bradley Manning's Life Behind Bars", Denver Nicks, 17 December 2010, http://www.thedailybeast.com/
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7 Comments so far
Show AllWe can only thank the military and government for exposing themselves as villians. Everything America stands for Manning supported. Everything America is against Manning exposed. The world is given proof that America talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk. All our years of pointing the finger at others comes back to haunt America. Hypocrisy is exposed. The upper class Ellsberg is treated or was treated like a celebrity. The lower class Manning is treated like he is treated exposing America as a society engaged in class warfare. Privilege for the well connected and punishment for the ordinary American patriot. No doubt in my mind that he is being treated inhumanely. I am sure that God is watching and paying close attention to this violation of a mans rights under natural or universal law. The karma of the USA is at its lowest point in history. It will be interesting to see the blowback to these gatekeepers of society. What goes around comes around. What secret fears possess these guardians of America? Who made these decisions? Where are their orders coming from? When were these decisions made? Why the violation of due process? How come these guardians of society exempt themselves from their oath of defending the constituition from all enemies domestic and foreign? The right thing to do is release this man. He at least is obeying the oath to defend America and uphold the constituition. He is an example of Free Speech. He dared to speak and deserves protection under the law. Justice for all not just the rich and powerful. The Statue of Liberty might as well be taken down because Manning doesn't have liberty. Sad times for America. Our image may never be repaired. God bless the real America and hope that kindness and compassion will come to America once again.
You need to read your history books a little more thoroughly. Daniel Ellsburg was charged under the 1913 Espionage Act, kept in jail, tried and ultimately acquitted. But during the investigation period he was subjected to all kinds of "horrors". He was not treated as a celebrity as you say.
He is now - but he went through quite a mess back in the day. Daniel Ellsberg is still speaking out for the powerless, and in fact was arrested and went to jail again just last week - protesting against Bradley Manning's detention. So stop throwing stones where they aren't warranted. Ellsberg is still putting himself out there instead of just yelling on a keyboard.
The way the military authorities are treating Pvt. Manning, you would think he had murdered hundreds of people. To this date no one has been physically harmed by the disclosures and he has not been charged with such disclosures. On the other hand maybe someone should ask his jailors how many people they have killed. I'll bet, if they have been in the US military for any period of time they wouldn't be able to count all the bodies they left behind. US justice is a joke, a perverse joke.
The FBI is so active today that this is all frightening, and this is what they want. There are not many comments. People are afraid, if they comment, then make an innocent statement about anything they see as wrong, they could be in his shoes. We must stand up for this young man, we stand up for us.
I sent him a message through one of the sites. it was sad to learn that all mail is returned. He does have 2 blankets though, but now his matress has a built in pillow. ( I have no idea why.) but sadly being awakened every 5 minutes would be torture. It would seem that if they really wanted to know IF he even did this, they would want his mind to function.
The appearance of wrong doing; when has that been a crime? Well, except in Salem, the Inquisition, oh yes, and Joe McCarthy time. I could never figure out how that guy got any credibility. I wish Edward R. Murrow was still alive; it seems that back then there were real journalists. and real TV stations.
I am not afraid to type what I feel.
Yes the FBI is active.
However, I am an active American. I refuse to let an institution which is detrimental to the rights and ideals once supported (supposedly) by this nation.
The treatment of PFC Bradley Manning is absolutely appalling.
As a College student, I am unbelievably astonished that an American soldier can be subjected to this type of treatment.
If this country is a "god loving" one, we should definitely be "god fearing" as of right now. Would the man in the sky be pleased with the actions of U.S. officials and officers?
Stand up, do not let the political institutions do this to us anymore. We are the government... not the government. We control... Not them. Stand up.
In many ways, this administration is no better than the criminals who preceded them in office, except that the Vice-president isn't pulling the puppet strings.