Bradley Manning Now Forced to Sleep Naked

Quantico brig classifies WikiLeaks suspect as a safety risk
By Luke Kelly-Clyne,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 5, 2011 11:11 AM CST
Bradley Manning Now Forced to Sleep Naked
Bradley Manning is suspected of being the source of some of the unauthorized classified information disclosed on the WikiLeaks website. His charges include "aiding the enemy,"   (AP Photo, File)

First, Bradley Manning was forced to strip and left naked for hours. Now, he'll have to do it again—nightly. The alleged WikiLeaks conspirator must sleep in the nude and wait outside his cell each morning until his undergarments are publicly returned to him, a Marine spokesman said yesterday. The rep claims the unusual treatment is a precaution taken for prisoners on "prevention of injury watch," and is part of a new policy to ensure prisoner safety mandated by the Quantico, Va., brig commander.

Despite Manning's ominous classification, friends and supporters claim he is not suicidal. In fact, he has not been elevated to the more severe "suicide watch" conditions, the New York Times reports. Manning's lawyer contests that his client's treatment is baseless and degrading, especially considering Manning is "being monitored—both by direct observation and by video—at all times." He continued, "If a person is at risk of self-harm, then you get them treatment, you get them to a mental health professional and address the issue—you don’t strip them." The Marine rep notes that Manning is allowed to sleep with two blankets. (More Bradley Manning stories.)

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