U.N. diplomat is denied private meeting with WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning - Polidicks

[quote] Juan E. Mendez, the U.N. special rapporteur on torture, said his request for a private interview with Manning was denied by the Defense Department on Friday. Instead, he has been told that any visit must be supervised. Mendez has been seeking to determine whether Manning’s confinement at a military brig at Quantico amounts to torture, following complaints about his treatment and an incident in which the private was forced to strip in his cell at night and sleep without clothing. “My request . . . is not onerous: for my part, a monitored conversation would not comply with the practices that my mandate applies in every country and detention center visited,” Mendez said in a statement Monday, noting that at least 18 countries have allowed unmonitored interviews. Manning, 23, has been held at Quantico since July 29 and is awaiting a possible court-martial on [URL="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/02/AR2011030206272.html?nav=emailpage"]charges that he endangered national security[/URL] by allegedly leaking classified military and diplomatic information. For most of this time, military officials have kept Manning under “prevention of injury” watch, asserting that he poses a risk to himself. That means [B]he spends 23 hours a day alone in his cell, with one hour allowed for exercise, and has no contact with other prisoners. [/B] He is allowed visitors for a few hours on the weekends. He must give up his prison uniform at night, though jail officials have now issued him a smock to wear. U.S. officials have denied that Manning is being mistreated and have said that the circumstances of his confinement comply with U.S. law and Defense Department regulations. Last month, however, P.J. Crowley, then the spokesman for the State Department, said the conditions of Manning’s confinement were “counterproductive and stupid” — a comment that angered the White House and [URL="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/state-department-spokesman-quits-after-criticizing-wikileaks-suspects-treatment/2011/03/13/ABi4P9T_story.html"]prompted Crowley’s resignation[/URL]. [B]On Sunday, the New York Review of Books [URL="http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/apr/28/private-mannings-humiliation/"]published a letter [/URL]signed by more than 250 lawyers, professors and authors, including Harvard University constitutional law professor Laurence H. Tribe, that called the conditions of Manning’s confinement “illegal and immoral.” The British government has also raised concerns about the issue. [/B] In an interview, Mendez said that “at first glance,” Manning’s case seems to be “of interest to my mandate,” which is to investigate cases of cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment and report them to the U.N. Human Rights Council. To do his job, he said, he needs to be able to speak to Manning without witnesses, including guards patrolling nearby. Otherwise, he said, “I cannot be sure Manning is being absolutely candid and honest with me if he knows that he’s being monitored.” He said he is willing to see Manning nonetheless, if Manning wishes to see him. The Defense Department has also denied requests for unmonitored visits with Manning by a representative of Amnesty International and by Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio), according to the soldier’s attorney.[/quote]A supervised meeting obviously means he won't be able to say a thing, and probably get punished horribly if he does. The cool thing about this is the only evidence they have of Manning, is this junkie (who was homeless for a few years) with aspergers showed chatlogs. [URL]http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/un-diplomat-is-denied-unmonitored-meeting-with-wikileaks-suspect/2011/04/11/AFgfAzLD_story.html?hpid=z3[/URL]

well duh The law doesn't apply when you bweak da big miwitawy's feewings

Well america can as China said, stick out of human rights issues considering they cant seem to follow their own rules.

God bless America :911:

Jesus fucking christ this is ridiculous, Wikileads doesn't even have a leader but is just consisting of random inviduals contritubing to the site, yet these guys take him for the evil mastermind of it all [QUOTE=Proj3ct_ZeRo;29122936]Well america can as China said, stick out of human rights issues considering they cant seem to follow their own rules.[/QUOTE] This is more than true

Why is his confinement similar to those who are dictators, terrorists and mass murderers? Considering the whole world went "Oh, well, duh?" to all the information leaked, and I don't see any terrorism, invasions or deaths of soldiers, the US is making itself look incredibly dumb. Just treat him like the average prisoner for fuck sake, it's THAT simple.

23 hours on his own? I would be insane by now.

[QUOTE=Timenova;29123393]23 hours on his own? I would be insane by now.[/QUOTE] Well you could always sleep

Why won't they let him meet unsupervised? Because they have something to hide...

[QUOTE=MrEndangered;29123387]Why is his confinement similar to those who are dictators, terrorists and mass murderers? Considering the whole world went "Oh, well, duh?" to all the information leaked, and I don't see any terrorism, invasions or deaths of soldiers, the US is making itself look incredibly dumb. Just treat him like the average prisoner for fuck sake, it's THAT simple.[/QUOTE] Actually, dictators are treated as foreign royalty and are generally better off then any prisoner in the US.

[QUOTE=Raiskauskone V2;29123572]Well you could always sleep[/QUOTE] You can only sleep for so long. 23 hours a day alone is horrible.

america.. leader of human rights and the free world :patriot:

[QUOTE=JDK721;29128290]america.. leader of human rights and the free world :patriot:[/QUOTE] I've not seen anyone in this thread try to make that claim.

[QUOTE=Megafanx13;29129162]I've not seen anyone in this thread try to make that claim.[/QUOTE] I think he's referring to the fact that America prides itself on those things.

Silly Americans, if you'dve just slapped a turban on him and said he was working for al Qaeda, no one would care.

[QUOTE=x_xPwntx_x;29129945]I think he's referring to the fact that America prides itself on those things.[/QUOTE] I got that, but it's really not necessary in such a poor case. I'd rather he simply criticize than make light of the situation.

[QUOTE=Megafanx13;29129162]I've not seen anyone in this thread try to make that claim.[/QUOTE] I'd have to say he's just as bad as the people who make those claims. Right now he's refuting claims that nobody here has even made, and it's very annoying.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;29135561]I'd have to say he's just as bad as the people who make those claims. Right now he's refuting claims that nobody here has even made, and it's very annoying.[/QUOTE] Thats sort of his thing Which is funny considering he accuses people of strawmanning in arguments more than anyone else here

[QUOTE=Proj3ct_ZeRo;29122936]Well america can as China said, stick out of human rights issues considering they cant seem to follow their own rules.[/QUOTE] Couldn't agree more.

[QUOTE=Proj3ct_ZeRo;29122936]Well america can as China said, stick out of human rights issues considering they cant seem to follow their own rules.[/QUOTE] He is in military prison and has been charged with treason. Military prison is bad to begin with (military prisons are almost universally significantly harsher than conventional prisons for a multitude of reasons), but treason, for the military, is pretty much the worst of the worse. Basically, death penalty aside, this is the worst we ever do to our own people. Ever. To even reach this level, you have to join the military and freely submit yourself to military jurisdiction, and again have to willingly commit treason.

[QUOTE=GunFox;29135794]He is in military prison and has been charged with treason. Military prison is bad to begin with (military prisons are almost universally significantly harsher than conventional prisons for a multitude of reasons), but treason, for the military, is pretty much the worst of the worse. Basically this is the worst we ever do to our own people. Ever. (Death penalty aside)[/QUOTE] The key word is charged. He has been [i]charged[/i] with treason. He should have a trial before punishments like this should even be considered.

[QUOTE=Regulas021;29135823]The key word is charged. He has been [i]charged[/i] with treason. He should have a trial before punishments like this should even be considered.[/QUOTE] You mean they should allow the guy who is heavily suspected of illegally distributing classified information to be around other disenfranchised soldiers? Because that couldn't end poorly or anything. Again, military jurisdiction. Doesn't work like civilian stuff.

free bradley manning asap

Manning knew what he was signing up for when he joined the Military. If he thought the military was so bad, why did he join in the first place?

[QUOTE=GunFox;29135794]He is in military prison and has been charged with treason. Military prison is bad to begin with (military prisons are almost universally significantly harsher than conventional prisons for a multitude of reasons), but treason, for the military, is pretty much the worst of the worse. Basically, death penalty aside, this is the worst we ever do to our own people. Ever. To even reach this level, you have to join the military and freely submit yourself to military jurisdiction, and again have to willingly commit treason.[/QUOTE] Who cares if this is the "worst of the worst", it's still fucking terrible, inhumane, and has no place in a first world country.

[QUOTE=GunFox;29135875]You mean they should allow the guy who is heavily suspected of illegally distributing classified information to be around other disenfranchised soldiers? Because that couldn't end poorly or anything. Again, military jurisdiction. Doesn't work like civilian stuff.[/QUOTE] It's not like 23 hours a day of confinement or dumping him in with a bunch of other soldiers are the only two options. Although reading his current treatment, I really don't see how it's immoral. It's definitely not the conditions I was led to believe he was in before (absolutely no outside contact, utter sensory deprivation, etc.) He's allowed to have visitors. He gets to exercise and has contact with other humans every day. Doesn't quite sound like the torture I had heard of.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;29136247]Who cares if this is the "worst of the worst", it's still fucking terrible, inhumane, and has no place in a first world country.[/QUOTE] What do you propose be done instead? He is reported to be responsible for the single largest leak of classified data in the history of the nation. He is literally a walking security risk.

[QUOTE=GunFox;29136316]What do you propose be done instead? He is reported to be responsible for the single largest leak of classified data in the history of the nation. He is literally a walking security risk.[/QUOTE] you act as though he can leak information without having any actual access to it

[QUOTE=GunFox;29136316]What do you propose be done instead? He is reported to be responsible for the single largest leak of classified data in the history of the nation. He is literally a walking security risk.[/QUOTE] hmm i dunno just don't let him on a computer?

[QUOTE=GunFox;29135794]He is in military prison and has been charged with treason. Military prison is bad to begin with (military prisons are almost universally significantly harsher than conventional prisons for a multitude of reasons), but treason, for the military, is pretty much the worst of the worse. Basically, death penalty aside, this is the worst we ever do to our own people. Ever. To even reach this level, you have to join the military and freely submit yourself to military jurisdiction, and again have to willingly commit treason.[/QUOTE] Ahahaha, treason? Fuck treason, it's doing what's right for everyone. Sure, it's treason, but against an evil force. Nothing wrong with that.