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Moved to Leavenworth -Bradley Manning's jail conditions improve dramatically after protest campaign

category international | anti-war / imperialism | other press author Saturday May 07, 2011 08:11author by Prison Solidarity

Bradley Manning's jail conditions improve dramatically after protest campaign

Switch of WikiLeaks whistleblower suspect from maximum security jail means more rights and liberties in runup to trial

Bradley Manning's new jail conditions were hailed by the Ohio Democratic congressman Dennis Kucinich as a victory for Manning's supporters, who claimed his original treatment amounted to torture.

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.

The prisoner, who worked as an army intelligence specialist in Iraq, has been charged with multiple counts relating to the leaking of a huge trove of state secrets to the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/04/bradley-man...prove

Comments (1 of 1)

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author by Routine Dailypublication date Sun May 08, 2011 08:49author address author phone

03 May 2011
A Typical Day For PFC Bradley Manning at Fort Leavenworth

PFC Manning was transferred to the Joint Regional Corrections Facility (JRCF) at Fort Leavenworth on April 20, 2011. I was able to tour the facility and meet with PFC Manning last week. PFC Manning is now being held in Medium Custody. He is no longer under Prevention of Injury watch and is no longer subjected to harsh pretrial confinement conditions.

Unlike at Quantico, PFC Manning cell has a large window that provides adequate natural light. His cell also has a desk, a bed, and a toilet. The cell is approximately 80 square feet. He is provided with a normal mattress, sheets and a pillow. None of his clothing is taken away from him at night. PFC Manning is able to have all of his personal items in his cell, which include his clothing, his legal materials, books and letters from family and friends. He is also able to have a pen and paper at all times in his cell, and is able to write whenever he chooses.

PFC Manning is housed in a special area of the confinement facility, along with other pre-trial detainees. Each pre-trial area (including PFC Manning’s) has four cells, and each pre-trial detainee is assigned to his own cell. The cells are connected to a shared common area, with a table, a treadmill, a television and a shower area. Click here in order to see photos of the JRCF area.

A typical timeline for PFC Manning’s day (and those of all other pre-trial detainees) follows:

At 04:50, PFC Manning is given a wake-up call. Over the next 10 minutes, he gets dressed, shaves, and begins to get ready for the day.

At 05:00, the lights come on and the door to his cell opens to the common area. PFC Manning finishes getting ready and joins the two other pre-trial detainees housed in his quarters in the common area.

At 05:15, PFC Manning and all the other pre-trial detainees are escorted by one guard to the cafeteria. There are no restraints placed on any of the pre-trial detainees. The cafeteria has multiple food selections, as well as a full compliment of coffee, juice, milk and soda. PFC Manning eats his breakfast together with the 6 other pre-trial detainees currently at the JRCF. He and the other pre-trial detainees in his quarters are then escorted back to the common area.
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http://www.armycourtmartialdefense.info/2011/05/typical....html


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