Dec 22 2010

Good News: UN To Investigate Brad Manning’s Confinement

(3PM EST – promoted by Nightprowlkitty)

Just in from the New York Times:

The United Nations says it is looking into a complaint that the Army private suspected of giving classified documents to WikiLeaks has been mistreated in custody.

The UN office for torture issues in Geneva said Wednesday it received a complaint from one of Pfc. Bradley Manning’s supporters alleging that conditions in a Marine Corps brig in Quantico, Va., amount to torture. Visitors say he spends at least 23 hours a day alone in a cell.

The Pentagon has denied mistreating Manning. A Marine Corps spokesman says the military is keeping Manning safe, secure and ready for trial. …

The UN could ask the United States to stop any violations it finds.

So I guess the petition we all signed is working.

Good news.  

13 comments

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    • Edger on December 22, 2010 at 19:27
    • #

    reason in the world, it seems… This is good news.

    A habeas hearing would be even better, but I gather people who join the U.S Military to “fight for freedom” don’t qualify for it’s benefits.

  3. …and positive about this!  But I just can’t quit wondering what dirty tricks and pressures will be put on the UN by ours truly.

    • RUKind on December 22, 2010 at 23:35
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    And Tony “The Poodle” Blair?

    All I want for Christmas is to see those three under 23 hour solitary lock down. What a present that would be.

  5. from Just Foreign Policy!  

    Needless to say, this is very uplifting news, I say with a measure of reservation, like that of dharmasyd, because the U.S. always seems to find a way to circumvent any advances made in efforts to curtail some of its “horrendous” behavior.

    Nonetheless, I feel heartened that Manning’s plight has been acknowledged by the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights!  We need to continue to write those letters to the same office!

    Thanks, davidseth!  

    It does feel good!

  6. Copied it to a Lady Gaga cd…..this man deserves the Medal of Freedom.

  7. for the “probing” by the UN Special Rapporteur, Manfred Nowak — yes, you’ve heard his name many times before, as he is the one who has been urging President Obama, to commence investigations and prosecutions of the war crimes of a number of officials of the Bush Administration, including Bush and Cheney.

    The probe is most, probably, being conducted because of David House, a contributor at Firedoglake and a supporter of Manning, who, apparently, has been able to visit with Manning on occasion, who has also been noting deterioration of his physical and mental condition:

    28 COMMENTS As U.N. Probes Whether His Confinement is Torture, Bradley Manning Speaks

    He allegedly leaked a video of U.S. soldiers killing civilians overseas.

    Now he’s kept in a miserable solitary confinement due to an alleged “suicide watch”–despite passing psychological examinations.

    As the U.N. “special rapporteur on torture” begins to probe whether the brutal solitary confinement of Bradley Manning constitutes torture, the imprisoned “leaker” spoke to David House, one of the few people allowed to visit him.

    House, who has been very concerned about Manning’s “deteriorating physical and mental well-being” wrote on Firedoglake about the conditions under which Manning has been placed, offering strong first-person evidence against the Pentagon’s positive spin.

    . . . . . The momentum to get better conditions for Manning is growing, thanks to the efforts of Glenn Greenwald and other media outlets.

    Firedoglake has an action page for concerned citizens.

    Worth reading (not that long).  

    My gut feelings:  we should keep writing to the UN Special Rapporteur concerning Manning’s treatment — backing up David House, and Manning’s attorney, as to the conditions of his confinement, ALL without having any charge placed against him.

    Yes, FDL’s efforts are good, as well, but trying to convince Commanding Officer James Averhart, US MCB Quantico Brig to change the treatment of Manning?  I think it’s good that he hears from us — but, I’m sure he’s acting on orders from higher up!!!!

     

  8. No, I mean serious, dangerous, really and truely odious and damaging to all humanity?

    Detonation sequence calculations for acheiving nuclear fission for dummies.

    Lemmie guess.  That was NOT on wilileaks was it.

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