Bradley Manning in solitary 23 hours per day, no exercise allowed

[Eric J in MN]

...constantly monitored.

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/12/14/manning/index.html

From the beginning of his detention, Manning has been held in intensive solitary confinement. For 23 out of 24 hours every day -- for seven straight months and counting -- he sits completely alone in his cell. Even inside his cell, his activities are heavily restricted; he's barred even from exercising and is under constant surveillance to enforce those restrictions. For reasons that appear completely punitive, he's being denied many of the most basic attributes of civilized imprisonment, including even a pillow or sheets for his bed (he is not and never has been on suicide watch). For the one hour per day when he is freed from this isolation, he is barred from accessing any news or current events programs.

Are there any other cases of prisoners being told they're not allowed to exercise in their cells?

[villager]

1. But it's the hopeful, change-filled kind of punitive solitary confinement!

Why, there's a whole new culture and outlook in government now!

[RKP5637]

2. Seems a bit extreme IMO. n/t

[EFerrari]

3. Assange is being held exactly the same way

and he's not even been charged with a crime.

Disgusting.

[DaveofCali]

4. And we are supposed to support Obama despite this?

Obama either doesn't closely control or follow his secretaries actions or secretly approves of the continuation of Bush style tactics (including going after Julian Assange and using heavy handed tactics to attack Wikileaks), which IMO is the biggest mark on his presidency by far (much bigger than his capitulation to the Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats.)

[stray cat]

8. I guess we support stealing classified documents and handing them out?

[TBF]

13. We support freedom of the press-

read the bill of rights for once.

[wndycty]

30. Manning is not a member of the press and he should be treated like a criminal. . .

. . .in saying that I have no problem with the media outlets who wrote about the documents, I do have a problem with how they got the documents.

[WinkyDink]

35. MANNING HAS NOT BEEN CONVICTED. Should all suspects be "treated like a criminal"?

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. Not guilty until proven otherwise

yes even in the Army.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

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

[treestar]

25. even Karl Rove is right about classified documents

that's just silly.

[librechik]

26. except when Karl wants something leaked (cough Valerie Plame cough)

then it's Patriotism. He's wrong.

[EFerrari]

27. I'm sure Karl Rove appreciates your support.

[ProudDad]

19. YEP!!!

[WinkyDink]

38. Did I miss the trial and verdict?

[RT Atlanta]

5. how can they preclude him from exercising

what do they do if he starts doing push ups or running in place? keep him chained to his bed?

[Eric J in MN]

7. I don't know.

I guess they could threaten to give him less food or worse food.

[AsahinaKimi]

61. I just hope they are not

waterboarding him. Who would tell, if they did?

[stray cat]

9. They can't

It just means they don't release him into the yard for an exercise hour

[ProudDad]

20. They probably come into his cell

and put him into a straight-jacket and leg straps for a day or so...

Standard Operating Procedure in the criminal-injustice system... :shrug:

[Arctic Dave]

6. All high security inmates are treated this way.

Supposedly because they may buff up and over power the guards (LOL, I know) but mostly it is for low level mind games. They are trying to create complete obedience and dependance on his captors.

[Ellipsis]

11. Check out this cast of characters at the Florence Colorado Super-max

After what you said... now I understand they're all in the same place.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_prisoners_at_ADX_Florence

[ProudDad]

21. Yep, for real LONG term torture of fellow human beings...

Ya' gotta love the USAmerikan criminal-injustice system...

They're able to combine physical with insanely cruel mental torture...

[TorchTheWitch]

22. mostly it's to keep them from injuring themselves

or exhausting themselves on purpose to require their removal for medical attention. Many an inmate has used such a tactic to be removed from their cell in order to be sent somewhere else less secure or to get the guard to open the door and try to overpower them. It's an old classic.

[NobodyHere]

43. Its also to protect Manning from others

There's a lot of people in the military that want him dead.

[Eric J in MN]

55. Bradley Manning is let out of his cell once a day for an hour.

The prison can handle opening his door.

[WinkyDink]

39. Is a suspect now an "inmate"?

[Arctic Dave]

44. If you are in custody, you are consider in inmate.

Conviction or not. I am in no way advocating for this type of treatment. Like said before, this type of detention is more of a way to fuck with the inmate then any type of safety issue.

[Kaleko]

10. It's a form of torture. Revenge taken by the State that is in itself a criminal regime.

[NuclearDem]

12. Not even allowed to exercise in his own cell?

What the fuck? Whether he's being charged with a crime or not, he's still a soldier...and the Army should understand more than anyone that physical fitness (or at least some physical activity) is essential to a person's well-being, physically and mentally.

Or are they just TRYING to make him break?

[Chorophyll]

14. This really needs to get more attention.

Absolutely shameful, and it doesn't sound too Constitutional to me...

[EFerrari]

16. CBS picked it up, the Atlantic Wire, New York Magazine, Business Insider.

Glenn Greenwald, :yourock:

[Ellipsis]

17. Well all right! n/t

[Voice for Peace]

24. +1 for Greenwald & Manning

and people of conscience everywhere. WIshing courage and clarity, wisdom for all.

[TexasObserver]

18. Mmmm. Can't you feel the hope and change?

He's a model prisoner and they treat him like this.

The people imprisoning him are guilty of worse than he is.

[Kurska]

23. Thems the breaks when you commit treason.

Any punishment short of execution (within the law) and he should count himself lucky.

Torture is of course illegal and he shouldn't be tortured, but this doesn't seem to qualify for torture.

[wndycty]

28. Agreed . . .essentially he was not authorized to share state secrets. . .

. . .he violated a code of conduct and there are consequences.

I have very little sympathy for this guy. If we trust you with secrets, you keep the secrets otherwise suffer the consequences.

The only thing is Cheney needs to be in the cell next to his.

[EFerrari]

31. His treatment is unconstitutional and likely illegal under Geneva

and the subsequent covenants we signed at the UN.

TG his treatment isn't in the hands of people who put punishment before the trial as you do. Or, actually, his treatment is exactly in the hands of people who put punishment before the trial as you do.

Disgusting.

[wndycty]

33. How is holding someone in solitary confinement unconstitutional?

Solitary confinement is part of our corrections system.

[EFerrari]

37. Holding someone in solitary confinement is punishment

and it induces brain damage.

Read Greenwald's piece today and follow his references. He has two that are important, one by a doctor who wrote an article for the New Yorker and one that is a UN Commission on US human rights violations with respect to prisoners.

That this practice is part of our system doesn't make it more legal.

ETA: I put the links in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=13295&mesg_id=14538

[AlabamaLibrul]

64. Innocent until proven guilty - to say nothing of Geneva and other laws n/t

[EFerrari]

29. Um, he hasn't been convicted of anything yet

except in the minds of members of the DU Kreskin Club.

[wndycty]

32. While he has not been convicted of anything he is being held without bail. . .

. . .I am not a corrections expert, especially at the federal level but I doubt this is out of the ordinary. He shared state secrets.

[EFerrari]

34. Well, it's good to hear you aren't in corrections. n/t

[WinkyDink]

40. Since there has not been a trial, how are you so cocksure about what he "shared"?

[WinkyDink]

41. When was this trial? I missed it.

[elias49]

52. YOU might consider it 'torture' after a week or so. eom

[nadinbrzezinski]

57. Actually it does

it is psychological in nature and has been found to violate all kinds of human rights standards. It does not matter if this is Quantico or the Shoe. Why do you think they are forcing meds down his throat?

You think the anti psychotics are just for fun?

People should do a little homework on human rights, and believe it or not, there is a modicum of rights any prisoner deserves.

[AlabamaLibrul]

63. Innocent until proven guilty - to say nothing of Geneva and other laws n/t

[ipaint]

36. War criminals past and present get a pass and those that bravely expose their crimes

are destroyed.

"Civilization is based on a clearly defined and widely accepted yet often unarticulated hierarchy. Violence done by those higher on the hierarchy to those lower is nearly always invisible, that is, unnoticed. When it is noticed, it is fully rationalized. Violence done by those lower on the hierarchy to those higher is unthinkable, and when it does occur is regarded with shock, horror, and the fetishization of the victims."

Derrick Jensen

[WinkyDink]

42. WTH is WRONG with some of you?? Manning is NOT a "convict," an "inmate," a "traitor", or ANYTHING

BUT "SUSPECT."

HE IS BEING HELD IN SOLITARY 23/24 AS A ONLY A SUSPECT. THIS IS OUT OF KAFKA.

[EFerrari]

45. No kidding. That's the way they're holding Assange, too.

And he isn't even charged with anything but only on a witness hold.

[BzaDem]

46. Really? You've never heard of jails (for those awaiting trial) having inmates in solitary? n/t

[WinkyDink]

47. Whatever. I'm clearly alluding to posts that regard Manning as already convicted.

inmate - a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/inmate

[BzaDem]

48. Why would I "give up" the truth? Every jail in every county in every state has inmates in solitary.

Solitary confinement's effects on people is certainly a huge problem. But it is a problem all across America. Obama didn't start the practice.

Honestly, if you want to complain about Obama, there are probably better issues to be using than blaming him for a practice that occurs everywhere.

[WinkyDink]

49. I edited. (But actual convicts are at least allowed to exercise.)

[BzaDem]

50. That is true. n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

51. k&r

[Laughing Mirror]

53. This is barbaric

But you know that already. Yes, that's what we are as a nation that allow this behavior.

[lovuian]

54. this is Torture

"It's an awful thing, solitary," John McCain wrote of his experience in isolated confinement in Vietnam. "It crushes your spirit." As Gawande documented: "A U.S. military study of almost a hundred and fifty naval aviators returned from imprisonment in Vietnam . . . reported that they found social isolation to be as torturous and agonizing as any physical abuse they suffered." Gawande explained that America's application of this form of torture to its own citizens is what spawned the torture regime which President Obama vowed to end:

He needs to be treated like a regular prisoner

with no Torture

[Eric J in MN]

58. EEG studies show slowing of brain waves

"..in prisoners after a week or more of solitary confinement."

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/03/30/090330fa_fact_gawande

[kentuck]

59. We should call in the International Red Cross...

We cannot allow any country, especially our own, to indulge in such criminal activities.

[nadinbrzezinski]

60. HE is not a POW

therefore does not hold under the purview of the ICRC...

That does not mean this is right.

[kentuck]

62. What can we do?

Could the ICRC not request to see him??

[nadinbrzezinski]

65. Nope, since he is not a POW, on the bright side

This is unprecedented, yes, they are blowing it in major ways, so a solid defense could use this to get him off or so much reduced.

Speedy trial and all that. If he has a defense fund, that's what you can do.