Kasperkevic writes: "Soldier jailed for leaking state secrets is suspended from
recreational activities in army prison after magazines, books and expired
toothpaste were confiscated."
Chelsea Manning supporters hold up banners near the Pentagon before delivering
more than 100,000 signatures to the US army calling for new charges to be
dropped. (photo: Mike Avender/FFTF)
Chelsea Manning Spared Solitary Confinement Following Public Outcry
By Jana Kasperkevic, Guardian UK
19 August 15
Soldier jailed for leaking state secrets is suspended from recreational
activities in army prison after magazines, books and expired toothpaste were
confiscated
Chelsea Manning has been found guilty of possessing unapproved reading material
by a panel at Fort Leavenworth prison but will be spared the indefinite
solitary confinement that had reportedly been among her possible sentences,
according to a tweet sent from her official account.
Instead the prison board ruled during a disciplinary hearing held on Tuesday
that Manning will face 21 days of restrictions on her recreational activities,
including no access to a gym, a library or the outdoors.
Manning was given a 35-year sentence for leaking US state secrets to WikiLeaks.
“I was found guilty of all four charges at today’s board; I am receiving 21
days of restrictions on recreation – no gym, library or outdoors,” announced a
tweet sent from Manning’s official Twitter account, @xychelsea.
A petition of more than 100,000 signatures was delivered to the US army liaison
office in Congress on Tuesday asking that the charges against Manning be
dropped.
Chase Strangio, Manning’s attorney at the ACLU, said after the verdict that
Manning was “so thankful for the thousands of people from around the world who
let the government know that we are watching and scrutinizing what happens to
her behind prison walls”.
“It was no doubt this support that kept [Chelsea] out of solitary confinement,”
said Strangio.
Manning was accused of “disrespect”, “disorderly conduct” and other violations
under the rules of the Fort Leavenworth prison in Kansas where she is serving
her sentence.
She was also charged with “medicine misuse” after a search of her cell on 9
July uncovered an expired tube of toothpaste.
“A tube of anti-cavity toothpaste, MKIC, was found in your possession past its
expiration date of 9 April 2015. You are involved in violation of ACC Policy
Letter 16, using, possessing, handling or storing of medicine, except as
authorized by the facility medical staff. Failure to take medication as
prescribed by medical staff,” read the charging documents, which were also
shared on Manning’s twitter account.
According to Manning other items confiscated from her cell included the memoir
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai, a novel featuring trans women called A Safe
Girl to Love, the LGBT publication Out Magazine, the Caitlyn Jenner issue of
Vanity Fair and a copy of Cosmopolitan that included an interview with Manning.
Her lawyers said they had been barred from Tuesday’s four-hour hearing and that
prior to the hearing Manning was barred from accessing the prison’s library.
Strangio said the fact that Manning faced the disciplinary board without
counsel sets a “concerning precedent” for the remainder of her incarceration.
“Not only does this punishment mean the immediate loss of library and
recreation for Chelsea, but she also will carry these infractions through her
parole and clemency process and will be held longer in the more restrictive
custody where she is now incarcerated,” said Strangio.
“No one should have to face the lingering threat of solitary confinement for
reading and writing about the conditions we encounter in the world. Chelsea’s
voice is critical to our public discourse about government accountability and
trans justice and we can only preserve it if we stay vigilant in our advocacy
on her behalf.”
<HTML><META HTTP-EQUIV="content-type"
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class="imgon2"><IMG width="430" height="195" title="Chelsea Manning supporters
hold up banners near the Pentagon before delivering more than 100,000
signatures to the US army calling for new charges to be dropped. (photo: Mike
Avender/FFTF)" style="border: 0px currentColor;" alt="Chelsea Manning
supporters hold up banners near the Pentagon before delivering more than
100,000 signatures to the US army calling for new charges to be dropped.
(photo: Mike Avender/FFTF)"
src="/images/stories/article_imgs17/017739-chelsea-manning-081915.jpg"
border="0"> <BR>Chelsea Manning supporters hold up banners near the Pentagon
before delivering more than 100,000 signatures to the US army calling for new
charges to be dropped. (photo: Mike Avender/FFTF)</P><P class="noslink"><A
href="http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/19/chelsea-manning-guilty-but-spared-solitary-confinement-for-contraband";
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target="_blank"></A></P><p class="txtimg"><BR><H1 class="txttitle">Chelsea
Manning Spared Solitary Confinement Following Public Outcry</H1><P
class="txtauthor">By Jana Kasperkevic, Guardian UK</P><P class="date">19 August
15</P><P> </P><BLOCKQUOTE><B><I>Soldier jailed for leaking state secrets is
suspended from recreational activities in army prison after magazines, books
and expired toothpaste were confiscated</I></B></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><P><IMG
src="/images/stories/alphabet/rsn-C.jpg" border="0">helsea Manning has been
found guilty of possessing unapproved reading material by a panel at Fort
Leavenworth prison but will be spared the indefinite solitary confinement that
had reportedly been among her possible sentences, according to a tweet sent
from her official account.</P><P class="indent">Instead the prison board ruled
during a disciplinary hearing held on Tuesday that Manning will face 21 days of
restrictions on her recreational activities, including no access to a gym, a
library or the outdoors. </P><P class="indent">Manning was <A
href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/21/bradley-manning-35-years-prison-wikileaks-sentence";
target="_blank">given a 35-year sentence for leaking US state secrets</A> to
WikiLeaks.</P><P class="indent">“I was found guilty of all four charges at
today’s board; I am receiving 21 days of restrictions on recreation – no
gym, library or outdoors,†announced a tweet sent from Manning’s official
Twitter account, @xychelsea. </P><P><CENTER
data-twttr-id="twttr-sandbox-0"><IFRAME height="208" title="Twitter Tweet"
class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" id="twitter-widget-0"
frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; border:
currentColor; width: 500px; display: block; visibility: visible; position:
static; min-width: 220px; max-width: 100%;" allowtransparency="true"
allowfullscreen=""></IFRAME></CENTER><P></P><P class="indent">A petition of <A
href="http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/18/chelsea-manning-supporters-deliver-petition-drop-charges";
target="_blank">more than 100,000 signatures</A> was delivered to the US army
liaison office in Congress on Tuesday asking that the charges against Manning
be dropped.</P><P class="indent">Chase Strangio, Manning’s attorney at the
ACLU, said after the verdict that Manning was “so thankful for the thousands
of people from around the world who let the government know that we are
watching and scrutinizing what happens to her behind prison wallsâ€.</P><P
class="indent">“It was no doubt this support that kept [Chelsea] out of
solitary confinement,†said Strangio.</P><P class="indent">Manning was
accused of “disrespectâ€, “disorderly conduct†and other violations
under the rules of the Fort Leavenworth prison in Kansas where she is serving
her sentence.</P><P class="indent">She was also charged with “medicine
misuse†after a search of her cell on 9 July uncovered an expired tube of
toothpaste.</P><P class="indent">“A tube of anti-cavity toothpaste, MKIC, was
found in your possession past its expiration date of 9 April 2015. You are
involved in violation of ACC Policy Letter 16, using, possessing, handling or
storing of medicine, except as authorized by the facility medical staff.
Failure to take medication as prescribed by medical staff,†read the charging
documents, which were also shared on Manning’s twitter account.</P><P
class="indent">According to Manning other items confiscated from her cell
included the memoir I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai, a novel featuring trans
women called A Safe Girl to Love, the LGBT publication Out Magazine, the
Caitlyn Jenner issue of Vanity Fair and a copy of Cosmopolitan that included an
interview with Manning.</P><P><CENTER data-twttr-id="twttr-sandbox-1"><IFRAME
height="429" title="Twitter Tweet" class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered"
id="twitter-widget-1" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="margin: 10px 0px;
padding: 0px; border: currentColor; width: 500px; display: block; visibility:
visible; position: static; min-width: 220px; max-width: 100%;"
allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen=""></IFRAME></CENTER><P></P><P
class="indent">Her lawyers said they had been barred from Tuesday’s four-hour
hearing and that prior to the hearing Manning was barred from accessing the
prison’s library.</P><P class="indent">Strangio said the fact that Manning
faced the disciplinary board without counsel sets a “concerning precedentâ€
for the remainder of her incarceration.</P><P class="indent">“Not only does
this punishment mean the immediate loss of library and recreation for Chelsea,
but she also will carry these infractions through her parole and clemency
process and will be held longer in the more restrictive custody where she is
now incarcerated,†said Strangio. </P><P><CENTER
data-twttr-id="twttr-sandbox-2"><IFRAME height="208" title="Twitter Tweet"
class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" id="twitter-widget-2"
frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; border:
currentColor; width: 500px; display: block; visibility: visible; position:
static; min-width: 220px; max-width: 100%;" allowtransparency="true"
allowfullscreen=""></IFRAME></CENTER><P></P><P class="indent">“No one should
have to face the lingering threat of solitary confinement for reading and
writing about the conditions we encounter in the world. Chelsea’s voice is
critical to our public discourse about government accountability and trans
justice and we can only preserve it if we stay vigilant in our advocacy on her
behalf.†</P></DIV><p style="text-align: right; display: none;"><A
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