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Chelsea Manning denied access to jail legal library |
16 Aug 2015: posted by the editor - Human Rights, Internet news, International | |
Two days before being due to present her defence against alleged 'discipline infrigments', whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been denied access to the legal library at the jail where she is serving her wholly disproportionate prison sentence of 35 years for releasing documents which revealed the truth of clandestine government communications, Fight For The Future reports. Manning is also denied the right to have her defence attorney's present at the hearing, writes Fight For The Future. The following link details the 'charges' brought against Manning: https://cms.fightforthefuture.org/chelsea Evan, a Fight For The Future member, after receiving a telephone call made by Manning from the jail, wrote: “Prison walls dehumanize people behind bars, and talking to Chelsea on the phone was a powerful reminder that she is a real person. She’s younger than I am. She has a niece and a nephew who she has never met, because she’s serving a 35 year sentence for shedding light on the government’s crimes. “Now, Chelsea is being unfairly punished in prison, and she faces possible indefinite solitary confinement––a form of psychological torture––for minor “crimes” including having the Vanity Fair issue with Caitlyn Jenner on the cover and an expired tube of toothpaste in her cell. “It sounds like a joke, but it’s not. And when you read the whole story, it gets even worse. “Whistleblowers like Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden are a crucial part of a healthy democracy. When the government and the military are allowed to operate in the shadows, they never serve the interests of the general public. “Chelsea Manning shouldn’t be behind bars in the first place, but now the government is blatantly targeting her with this unfair punishment. Chelsea has been very active while in prison, speaking out through her twitter account about issues of government transparency, transgender rights, and the prison system. She's been writing a regular column for The Guardian, and even wrote a bill to reform the Espionage Act and protect journalism. “I talked to Chelsea today and she is as strong as ever. She wants people to know that what’s happening to her isn’t abnormal. Prisoners are mistreated in this way every day. “This isn’t just about Chelsea’s basic human rights, it's about all of ours, and about the future of free speech. Please sign the petition and share this breaking news as far and wide as possible.” Tags: Chelsea Manning |
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