UN investigator slams US over “cruel” treatment of Bradley Manning
By the Bradley Manning Support Network. March 5, 2012
GENEVA, Switzerland — Juan Mendez, the United Nations Rapporteur on Torture, has slammed the United States government for abusing accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower PFC Bradley Manning during pre-trial confinement. Mr. Mendez has repeatedly sought to conduct an unsupervised meeting with PFC Manning in order to investigate these abuses.
“I believe Bradley Manning was subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in the excessive and prolonged isolation he was put in during the eight months he was in Quantico,” said Mr. Mendez
Mr. Mendez commented on Bradley Manning’s conditions of confinement at a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. He went on to say that “the explanation I was given for those eight months was not convincing for me.”
“It’s astonishing that US officials are blocking an investigation into the humiliating and degrading treatment of Bradley Manning, while the Kingdom of Bahrain has just invited Mr. Mendez to conduct a fact-finding mission into their recent abuses of political prisoners,” said Jeff Paterson, a lead organizer with the Bradley Manning Support Network.
After widespread condemnation of PFC Manning’s conditions of confinement, he was moved to more humane conditions at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in April 2011. Following a high-level Pentagon meeting last year, Jeh Johnson, the Defense Department’s General Counsel, wrote a letter to Mr. Mendez in which he denied an unsupervised meeting. Mr. Johnson stated bluntly:
“You should have no expectation of privacy in your communications with Private Manning.”(link)
In a subsequent letter to Mr. Koh, Mr. Mendez reaffirmed that:
“…private, unmonitored and privileged communications are an essential prerequisite of any credible fact-finding endeavour undertaken by the Special Rapporteur.” (link)
Attorneys for PFC Manning have notified supporters that he is now being held at Fort Meade, Maryland, for his pre-trial and expected court-martial proceedings. The next hearing will be held at Fort Meade on March 15 at 10:00 AM EST.
The treatment given to Bradley Manning in Quantico was despicable. it deprived him of his human rights, subjected him to humiliation on the basis of his sexual orientation, and broke the US Constitution’s “guarantee” against “cruel and unusual punishment”.
The rationale for the mistreatment was, aside from sadistic disregard for his humanity, the desire to break his resistance so that he would plead guilty to any charges and thereby make life easier for the Army and any VIP witnesses he might call during his court martial.
In accordance with his quiet heroism, Manning did not break under torture, but held to his determination to plead his innocence and stand trial.
President Obama should pardon Bradley Manning immediately, and bring to an end this discreditable charade of “American justice”.
Well said Lee
Justice for Bradley
Thank God somebody is speaking up. Obama must know that Bradley Manning was given orders to do something despicable and is now determined to punish him for telling the truth. A mistake has been made by the US Military, Do the grown up thing and admit it.
I just called Jeh Johnson’s office, a Sara, answered. I introduced myself and didn’t get half of the first sentence out of my mouth before she slammed the phone in my ear.
I think that very few American or British thinking people will ever be able to trust The US claim to respect justice after this, the slamming down of the ‘phone Deb was an admission of the discomfort their guilt is visiting on them.
AAW (UK)
Many Americans have not yet fully realized the implications of the loss of rights. My own experiences in the Army and with civilian authorities. Have proven to me that Americans no longer have the rights they once had, or did we ever?
There are millions of other abuses that have happened and currently ongoing against the American people by US authorities, not to mention activities in other countries.
Bradly Manning is a perfect example of were things have gone. Laws enacted without discloser (patriot act 2), new laws that eliminate and or circumvent constitutional law. Refusal to follow the Geneva Convention, for which has been signed and agreed upon by the US Authorities. Refusal to sign into affect new versions of the Geneva Convention, of which the majority of the world has signed and agreed upon.
Bradly Manning should be a wake up call to the American People. Allowing abuses to continue, basic human rights will continue to erode.
Americans better stop looking the other way, in the hopes to not attract attention, and let it happen to the other guy. Soon, perhaps sooner than you think, it will be your turn. I suggest that people research the famous, Nazi “Protective Custody Warrants”.
History is bound to repeat it self. The American People need to take action, and start holding the Authorities Accountable for there actions, and put a stop to the American Authorities use of abusive powers.
If the American People do not save Bradly Manning, there will be no one left to safe the American People.
I completely Agree with you but the question is When will it happen?
Bradley Manning accused of treason, recieving no less then a roach does, watching and waiting for the next being to come in and torture him, no time to rest, Alone and Hurt. Innocent and unproven accusation’s. Discriminated against by Obama.
Thats what I think