[LAF] Fwd: Tortured for Wikileaks Leak

Fri Apr 8 05:15:36 UTC 2011

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Dear friends,

<http://www.avaaz.org/en/bradley_manning/?cl=1008652380&v=8793>

*Wikileaks whistleblower Bradley Manning is being subjected to brutal torture in
a US military prison*, part of a broader effort to silence and intimidate those
behind any further leaks. The government is split on Manning's abuse. *President
Obama cares about the US global reputation -- a massive global outcry can push
him to stop the torture:*

Sign the petition <http://www.avaaz.org/en/bradley_manning/?cl=1008652380&v=8793>
<http://www.avaaz.org/en/bradley_manning/?cl=1008652380&v=8793>

*Right now, Wikileaks whistleblower Bradley Manning is being tortured in a US
military prison.* Manning is subjected to utter isolation that can drive many
people insane, with short periods each day where he is stripped naked and abused
by jeering inmates.

Manning is awaiting trial for releasing secret military documents to Wikileaks –
including a video of US soldiers massacring Iraqi civilians. And his *brutal
treatment appears to be part of an intimidation campaign to silence
whistleblowers and crack down on Wikileaks.* The US government is split on this
issue, with diplomats publicly criticizing the military for Manning's treatment,
but President Obama has stood aside so far.

*Obama cares about the US's global reputation* - we need to show him that it's
at stake here. Let's *build a massive global call to the US government to stop
torturing Manning* and uphold the law. Sign the petition below -- our message
will be delivered through hard-hitting ads and actions in Washington DC as soon
as we reach 250,000 signatures:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/bradley_manning/?vl
<http://www.avaaz.org/en/bradley_manning/?cl=1008652380&v=8793>

On paper the United States opposes torture. The US Constitution forbids “cruel
and unusual punishment". And, along with almost a hundred other countries, the
US has signed an international convention promising to *treat all prisoners
“with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person”.*
But today, Bradley Manning is utterly isolated in a cell without sheets, not
allowed to exercise and is being subjected to brutal humiliation that is causing
serious mental harm. This violates US and international law.

Bradley is being held under 'prevention of injury' status despite 16 reports
from military mental health professionals that he should be removed from these
severe conditions. His lawyers are trying to enforce his basic Constitutional
and international human rights in court, *but so far the military tribunal
responsible for Bradley’s fate has ignored his suffering.*

There has been a crack down on Wikileaks since the explosive revelations of US
military crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many speculate that this brutal
pressure on Bradley is intended to force him to implicate WikiLeaks founder
Julian Assange. *But Obama promised Americans and the world that he would
protect, not persecute, whistleblowers:*

/"Often the best source of information about waste, fraud, and abuse in
government is an existing government employee committed to public integrity and
willing to speak out. Such acts of courage and patriotism, which can sometimes
save lives and often save taxpayer dollars, should be encouraged rather than
stifled."/

Bradley's cruel treatment does the opposite and *sends a chilling message to
others who may want to expose important information.* Let's act quickly to put
massive international pressure on the United States government to honor its
commitment to human rights and the protection of whistleblowers and end the
shockingly cruel treatment of their own citizen. *Sign the petition below:*

http://www.avaaz.org/en/bradley_manning/?vl
<http://www.avaaz.org/en/bradley_manning/?cl=1008652380&v=8793>

Bradley Manning claims he is a patriot and has admitted to releasing information
that he felt the world had a right to know. While reasonable people can disagree
about the approach of Wikileaks and the the rights or wrongs of those who
delivered information to them, the illegal torture of Bradley Manning, who has
yet to receive a fair trial or be convicted of any crime, is a shameful
violation of human rights and human dignity.

With hope and determination,

Emma, Ricken, Pascal, Janet and the rest of the Avaaz team

Sources:

Check out Obama's statement on the importance of whistleblowing released on his
official website http://change.gov/agenda/ethics_agenda/

PJ Crowley resigns over Bradley Manning remarks, The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/13/pj-crowley-resigns-bradley-manning-remarks

Soldier's inhumane imprisonment, LA Times
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/10/opinion/la-ed-manning-20110110

US: Explain Conditions of Bradley Manning’s Confinement, Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/03/16/us-explain-conditions-bradley-manning-s-confinement

Stripped naked every night, Bradley Manning tells of prison ordeal, The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/11/stripped-naked-bradley-manning-prison

WikiLeakers and Whistle-Blowers: Obama's Hard Line, Time
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2058340,00.html

The Implications of the Inhumane Treatment of Bradley Manning, Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-kane/bradley-manning-obama_b_832933.html

U.S. Pledges Rights Improvements, New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/world/19briefs-ART-Nations.html

Bradley Manning: charge sheet
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/interactive/2011/mar/04/bradley-manning-charge-sheet

*Support the Avaaz community!* We're entirely funded by donations and receive no
money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team ensures even the
smallest contributions go a long way -- donate here
<https://secure.avaaz.org/en/donate_to_avaaz/?cl=1008652380&v=8793>.

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