Amnesty International condemns 'inhumane' treatment of Bradley Manning

Amnesty International condemns 'inhumane' treatment of Bradley Manning

www.rawstory.com

"We are concerned that the conditions inflicted on Bradley Manning are unnecessarily severe and amount to inhumane treatment by the US authorities," Susan Lee, Amnesty International’s Programme Director for the Americas, said in a media advisory.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.washingtonpost.com

Manning is, of course, the person accused of providing information to WikiLeaks.

He's being treated as a political prisoner and is in solitary confinement, which according to many maintain is a form of torture. He is also currently on suicide watch.

Here's what his lawyer has to say a couple of days ago: Lawyer for WikiLeaks Army figure alleges mistreatment

Think Amnesty International is right?

www.rawstory.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

This country (US) tortures EVERY prisoner in EVERY prison and jail.

Cold, psych warfare, sleep deprivation, malnutrition...

Does AI care about the other MILLIONS being tortured in America?

If so, hurrah. If no: political propaganda.

This has been floating around for a couple of days now.

I am of the ilk that this is only coming out due to the high profile of the specific case. PFC Manning is being held in conditions that are not uncommon, but I have yet to hear much public outcry for other prisoners being held in similar conditions. PFC Manning has become such a sympathetic character, and I can see why...young man enlisted into the US Army by choice, handsome fella, alot of life yet to be lived. I feel sorry for the guy myself.

But, he committed a crime, knowingly, admitted to it in his online chats, and even stated that he didnt care what happened to him because he felt what he was doing was right. With crimes come punishment.

He is a sympathetic prisoner, not a political one.

Originally posted by Chakotay
This country (US) tortures EVERY prisoner in EVERY prison and jail.

Cold, psych warfare, sleep deprivation, malnutrition...

Does AI care about the other MILLIONS being tortured in America?

If so, hurrah. If no: political propaganda.

edit on 24-1-2011 by Chakotay because: For the Halibut...

Yes they do - there are many pieces on the web about what AI thinks of the way prisoners are treated in the US.

Originally posted by youdidntseeme
But, he committed a crime, knowingly, admitted to it in his online chats, and even stated that he didnt care what happened to him because he felt what he was doing was right. With crimes come punishment.

He is a sympathetic prisoner, not a political one.

I think this will turn out to be a very interesting debate, if it ever makes it to court, of course.

(ref: Article 90), during times of war, a military member who willfully disobeys a superior commissioned officer can be sentenced to death.

Seems like pretty good motivation to obey any order you're given, right? Nope.
These articles require the obedience of LAWFUL orders. An order which is unlawful not only does not need to be obeyed, but obeying such an order can result in criminal prosecution of the one who obeys it.

source

So, is he guilty for releasing the information?
or
Would he be guilty had he NOT released the information?

I'm sure the lawyers will have a field day with this one.

On a personal note, I think that his conditions are quite excessive.

the Billmeister

Its torture and inhumane, ironic that the US spouts off at other countries efforts on human rights, perhaps they should sort out their own backyard 1st? Kidnapping and assassinating innocent people, routine torture without trial etc

Theyre trying to make him commit suicide, get someone to wake you up every 5 mins and youll end up wanting to die within a week.

www.guardian.co.uk...

The United Nations is investigating a complaint on behalf of Bradley Manning that he is being mistreated while held since May in US Marine Corps custody pending trial. The army private is charged with the unauthorised use and disclosure of classified information, material related to the WikiLeaks, and faces a court martial sometime in 2011.

Wow...the UN too. I agree, you guys. Thinking this is going to be a landmark case due to its very nature. They don't seem to know quite what to do with it...how to classify it. At first it seemed so simple. Espionage. But for some reason, it seems to be taking on some sort of weird political life of it's own. Almost as if there are two diametrically opposing forces at work here. Maybe good and evil? Truth and lies? I dunno.

some people would prefer solitary, i spent a bit of my youth in a young offenders institute in the uk and time goes by quicker when your alone but i will admit that i spent only a few days down the seg so maybe it is alot worse when you have a prolonged period there biut for people who are a bit of a risk from other tougher inmates, then it cant be too bad to be away from that kind of stuff.

What is inhumane about his treatment? He is not in a third world prison. He was on suicide watch even though the local shrink didn't recommend it. Maybe a guard heard him say he "wished he was dead." The brig commander has a duty to prevent suicides and keep his prisoner safe. He can accept the recommendations of the shrink or not. Manning got the standard suicide watch. Had he managed to somehow kill himself, the same whiners who gripe about conditions would be screaming about Brad snuffing himself and many on these boards would cry conspiracy and assassination. Now it is true that he may be bored and is missing his gameboy but he will just have to tough it out as the price of being a wikihero.
The brig commander has the responsibility and authority to do what he thinks necessary to protect his prisoners. Brad is not damaged, endures no daily beatings, is safe, well fed, warm and sheltered. He has no work details and no responsibilities. The brig commander will make sure that Brad is delivered for his courtmartial on time and healthy.

Manning has no gripe and neither does his sleeve of a lawyer.

Originally posted by Flyer
Its torture and inhumane, ironic that the US spouts off at other countries efforts on human rights, perhaps they should sort out their own backyard 1st? Kidnapping and assassinating innocent people, routine torture without trial etc

Theyre trying to make him commit suicide, get someone to wake you up every 5 mins and youll end up wanting to die within a week.

Here is a link to some info I provided in another thread:
ats post

PFC Mannings own attorney detailed the following about his confinement.

The guards at the confinement facility are professional. At no time have they tried to bully, harass, or embarrass Private Manning.

He is allowed to watch television during the day. The television stations are limited to the basic local stations. His access to the television ranges from 1 to 3 hours on weekdays to 3 to 6 hours on weekends.

From 7 p.m. to 9:20 p.m., he is given correspondence time. He is given access to a pen and paper. He is allowed to write letters to family, friends, and his attorneys. Each night, during his correspondence time, he is allowed to take a 15 to 20 minute shower.

On weekends and holidays, he is allowed to have approved visitors see him from 12 to 3 p.m.

He is allowed to receive letters from those on his approved list and from his legal counsel. If he receives a letter from someone not on his approved list, he must sign a rejection form. The letter is then either returned to the sender or destroyed.

He is allowed to have any combination of up to 15 books or magazines. He must request the book or magazine by name. Once the book or magazine has been reviewed by the literary board at the confinement facility, and approved, he is allowed to have someone on his approved list send it to him. The person sending the book or magazine to him must do so through a publisher or an approved distributor such as Amazon. They are not allowed to mail the book or magazine directly to Pfc. Manning.

This is not the entire description. You can find that here

The rest of it to me sounds like he is being treated like a prisoner. Which he is, because he is accused of committing a crime.

reply to post by pteridine


In case you're interested, here are some thoughts you might like to read through on the subject of solitary confinement. Solitary Confinement as Torture

reply to post by pteridine

wat makes you so sure his treatment is human...why is the united nations and amansity international investigating his treatment. If there is not a possibility his treatment is inhuman....

idk how you can think otherwise. he is in solitarty, he is not allowed to excersise in his cell, this is regualted by force if need be.
Gaurds check on him every 5 minutes, he has no sheet or pillow. he has body sores from chaffing, his mentle health has diminished, he is shakled when he has a visitor, and the last 2 people that visited him where detained for 2 hours. One of which was a jounralist. They were tryin 2 deliver a petition.

that is not treating a person with human dignity...

kx

Originally posted by Billmeister
I think this will turn out to be a very interesting debate, if it ever makes it to court, of course.

(ref: Article 90), during times of war, a military member who willfully disobeys a superior commissioned officer can be sentenced to death.

Seems like pretty good motivation to obey any order you're given, right? Nope.
These articles require the obedience of LAWFUL orders. An order which is unlawful not only does not need to be obeyed, but obeying such an order can result in criminal prosecution of the one who obeys it.

So, is he guilty for releasing the information?
or
Would he be guilty had he NOT released the information?

That’s a non-starter. Manning wasn’t ordered to commit any of the (alleged) illegalities described in the documents he allegedly leaked. He was ordered, however, not to disclose any information.

In United States v. Huet-Vaughn, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, stated that—

[T]he duty to disobey an unlawful order applies only to a positive act that constitutes a crime that is so manifestly beyond the legal power or discretion of the commander as to admit of no rational doubt of their unlawfulness.

His commanders were within their legal power to order Manning not to disclose any information. Even if that information could have described potential unlawful acts committed by US forces, he didn’t participate in those potential unlawful acts, therefore, the defense of disobeying unlawful orders is just plainly inapplicable to Manning’s situation.

Originally posted by aptness

Originally posted by Billmeister
I think this will turn out to be a very interesting debate, if it ever makes it to court, of course.

(ref: Article 90), during times of war, a military member who willfully disobeys a superior commissioned officer can be sentenced to death.

Seems like pretty good motivation to obey any order you're given, right? Nope.
These articles require the obedience of LAWFUL orders. An order which is unlawful not only does not need to be obeyed, but obeying such an order can result in criminal prosecution of the one who obeys it.

So, is he guilty for releasing the information?
or
Would he be guilty had he NOT released the information?

That’s a non-starter. Manning wasn’t ordered to commit any of the (alleged) illegalities described in the documents he allegedly leaked. He was ordered, however, not to disclose any information.

In United States v. Huet-Vaughn, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, stated that—

[T]he duty to disobey an unlawful order applies only to a positive act that constitutes a crime that is so manifestly beyond the legal power or discretion of the commander as to admit of no rational doubt of their unlawfulness.

His commanders were within their legal power to order Manning not to disclose any information. Even if that information could have described potential unlawful acts committed by US forces, he didn’t participate in those potential unlawful acts, therefore, the defense of disobeying unlawful orders is just plainly inapplicable to Manning’s situation.

Touché. Jurisprudence has spoken.

the Billmeister

Originally posted by purplemer
reply to post by pteridine

 

wat makes you so sure his treatment is human...why is the united nations and amansity international investigating his treatment. If there is not a possibility his treatment is inhuman....

idk how you can think otherwise. he is in solitarty, he is not allowed to excersise in his cell, this is regualted by force if need be.
Gaurds check on him every 5 minutes, he has no sheet or pillow. he has body sores from chaffing, his mentle health has diminished, he is shakled when he has a visitor, and the last 2 people that visited him where detained for 2 hours. One of which was a jounralist. They were tryin 2 deliver a petition.

that is not treating a person with human dignity...

kx

I question this whole petetion matter. You know where I stand here from the other thread, so I'll keep it brief.
Why were they trying to deliver a petition to Manning? What can he do with it?
The petition thing I believe was thrown out there to sensationalize the situation. Manning has no need of a petition. If it was for the warden/commanding officer why wasnt it deliver via certified mail or if it was for the attorney, why not deliver it to his office. Bringing a petition for Manning is nothing but a red herring in my view.

Originally posted by youdidntseeme
Why were they trying to deliver a petition to Manning? What can he do with it? The petition thing I believe was thrown out there to sensationalize the situation. (...) If it was for the warden/commanding officer why wasnt it deliver via certified mail or if it was for the attorney, why not deliver it to his office.

The petition was to be delivered to the Commanding Officer at the Quantico Marine Base brig, as per indication on their petition page.

Irrespective of alternative ways to deliver the petition was it illegal for them to do it this way? And what if they were trying to “sensationalize the situation”? Is it illegal for someone to gather as much visibility as possible for their cause, whatever it may be? Despite whatever you think their purpose or intention was, it seems to me that the only thing that matters is if they had permission to enter the base. What I understand from what I have read is that they claim they had permission, the military were warned before their visit, and yet they were detained.

reply to post by ~Lucidity


He is permitted books and magazines and is allowed to have visitors, so his confinement is hardly solitary. This is nothing like what John McCain suffered and to imply such is disingenuous, at best, and dishonors Senator McCain.
He is checked on often because he is a high profile brig rat and, likely, the brig commander wants to make sure that he doesn't expire for want of oversight. To the poster feeling sorry that he has no sheets or pillows; the pillow is built into his mattress and he doesn't have sheets because they can be made into ropes that he can hang himself with or use to escape; blankets make bad ropes so he can keep those. I'd bet that he doesn't have a belt or shoelaces either. These restrictions are not explicit to him. He aso said he was willing to face the consequences of his actions and now he is just beginning to do so. Suck it up, Brad, you've probably got many more years to endure.

I'd say that he probably has things much better than some of the people that his revelations may have exposed.

reply to post by youdidntseeme


I can only hope that his lawyer and anyone else who believes what you just posted someday enjoy the same so-called humane treatment.

American prisons torture. It is what they do. They do it when no one is looking, and in ways that break a human being without evidence. The entire system is corrupt, and if you have never been inside you have no idea.

Don't believe for a minute that you will never end up there. You just might. Guilty or not.

So his treatment is of paramount concern, as is that of the one of one hundred Americans incarcerated now.