Bradley Manning's Jail Conditions Improve Dramatically After Protest Campaign

[tekisui]

Source: Guardian

The conditions under which the WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning is being detained in military prison have vastly improved in the wake of a sustained campaign against his earlier treatment, which some said amounted to torture.

Since Manning was transferred from the Quantico marine base in Virginia to Fort Leavenworth on 20 April his detention regime has changed dramatically.

He has been switched from maximum security to medium custody, which affords him many more rights and liberties, and he is no longer being held under a prevention of injury watch that imposed harsh conditions.

The new regime has been revealed in a blog post from Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, who is handling the US soldier's forthcoming court martial.

more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/04/bradley-manning-jail-conditions-improve

[TheWraith]

1. Gosh, that awful torture of only having one pillow.

I hope that they don't do that to me if I'm ever put in prison. :eyes:

[tekisui]

3. It was more than that, and I think you know it.

[TheWraith]

15. Yes. It's called being on suicide watch.

Which is a far different thing than being drowned, beaten, burned, threatened with dogs, or the other things that actual torture victims have gone through. Claiming that having someone check in on you every five minutes, or being in solitary confinement, is the same thing as torture is, frankly, bullshit.

[PBS Poll-435]

17. But it is uncomfortable!

Have you no compassion?

Where are the Egyptian cotton sheets?

Where is the wall-mounted HDTV?

[tekisui]

18. Its good to hear he got better. No more need for the suicide watch.

I wonder why? :think:

[PBS Poll-435]

20. He discovered that he has a Justin Bieber-like fan club and now has a reason to push forward?

:shrug:

:think:

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PBS Poll-435]

26. Thank you. I will be sure to throw my 2 cents in next time you make one

:)

[TheWraith]

22. Because suicides are usually the result of temporary mental states?

Very few people engage in a clear, logical assessment of their life, then decide the proper course of action is to strangle themselves with their own pant leg.

[tekisui]

24. Exactly. Improved treatment and conditions can really help with one's

mental state.

Mistreatment and harsh conditions can break one psychologically.

[TheWraith]

29. Acting like you proved your point doesn't change the facts.

Only being allowed 10 books or magazines, a mere 1 hour a day of exercise, and only two blankets, is not the same as being waterboarded, or slowly having chunks of your skin cut off, no matter how much you try to spin it.

[tekisui]

32. There are degrees.

I didn't say he was tortured. I am not sure if he was. It doesn't have to rise to your definition to be considered mistreatment or inhumane or to violate the Constitution and Treaties.

Bottom line is that the activism worked in getting Manning out of the harsh conditions he was being subjected to, and that is a good thing.

[EFerrari]

6. If you're ever put in prison, you can call in all the compassion you've shown to Manning. n/t

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sabrina 1]

13. Apparently the military itself doesn't agree with you. Thankfully

we still have people in this country who do not dismiss the abuse of detainees. They deserve major props for doing what citizens are supposed to do in a democracy, protest and petition their government when they have a grievance.

And congrats to those more humane and intelligent members of the military and the State Dept. for agreeing that the treatment of Manning was reprehensible and who responded to citizens who brought it their attention by correcting the wrongs being done.

I really am sad to see anyone here approve of the treatment Manning was subjected to at Quantico. But if you ever do land in prison, and are subjected to similar treatment, fortunately you won't have to depend on people like yourself to try to protect you from those kinds of abuses. That would be a disastrous state of affairs for you.

You can count on those who stood up for Mannings rights to go to bat for you also. And that should make all of us feel just a little better about this country.

[Terra Alta]

14. How would you like it if you were made to sleep nude

in a small cell and in solitary confinement?

Manning's treatment was horrible, bordering on torture. I'm glad he is being treated better now.

[TheWraith]

16. Other than the fact that he wasn't forced to sleep nude...

And that "small cell" and "solitary confinement" are standard parts of being in prison...

Yeah, the comparison to actual torture remains bullshit. Sorry.

[EFerrari]

25. Wrong. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture

opened an investigation over this case. One that hasn't been closed yet, fyi.

[TheWraith]

30. That statement is absolutely false.

There is no such investigation.

[EFerrari]

31. Wrong again.

UN to investigate treatment of jailed leaks suspect Bradley Manning

Office of rapporteur on torture confirms it is looking into complaint made by Manning supporter

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/23/un-treatment-leaks-bradley-manning

[Sonoman]

19. Go spend a few months in solitary and get back to us.

There are a few of us on DU who have done stretches in brigs and in solitary confinement.

If you have not done same, how can you possibly make light of Manning's predicament?

Good luck,
Sonoman

[TheWraith]

23. Whether it's unpleasant is completely irrelevant.

Not everything which is unpleasant is torture. Being in prison at all is unpleasant. That doesn't make it torture, or even remotely like torture.

[Sonoman]

27. Solitary is a bitch.

Having spent time in both General Population and Solitary, I would rather do a year in GP than do two months in Sol.

Solitary Confinement will reduce your mind to rubble.

I did months of Sol, three days of Bread and Water and three days of prison diet and then do it all over again.

Sonoman

[TheWraith]

28. Yes, solitary confinement is very unpleasant. It's also STILL not torture.

Two months in solitary does not equal two months being waterboarded. Boredom and lack of stimulation is not equal to horrible physical pain and the threat of death.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Good news!

Now to keep up the protest against his being held without trial!

[lob1]

4. K&R. That's good news.

[librechik]

5. thx, teki, my husb and I were just wondering about this n/t

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. Gotta keep after 'em and on top of 'em. Relentlessly.

Or they'll just get away with whatever they want to get away with.

Props to tekisui and EFerrari fo being.... ummm.... *relentless* on thjs issue.

[backscatter712]

8. Good. Sometimes, political pressure works! n/t

[Baby Bear]

9. Bradley Manning is a Political Prisoner

Even if his treatment was not as harsh as reported, it can do no harm to protest against mistreatment of political prisoners. We need to let the authorities know people are watching and they are concerned. Public apathy only encourages harsh treatment of prisoners.

[PBS Poll-435]

10. Good for him!

:rofl:

[Terra Alta]

11. that's good news.

though he should not be there to being with.. I feel sorry for Manning and hope he is able to get a fair trial.

[lonestarnot]

33. Glad to hear that.