NACDL

Editor’s Note: On May 18, 2016, Dan Jackson and Nicholas Goldberg filed an amicus brief in the United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals for Amnesty International Ltd., in support of PFC Chelsea Manning (http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/filed-amnesty_int27l_brief.pdf). Amnesty International is a grassroots human rights organization that advocates for prisoners and detainees whose lives or health is at risk from harsh prison conditions that amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/prisoners-and-people-at-risk/detention-and-imprisonment).

While awaiting trial, Private First Class Chelsea Manning was held at the Marine Corps Brig at Quantico in a 6΄´ by 8΄´ cell, for 23 to 24 hours a day, for 9 months. Yet the military judge held that this was not “solitary confinement” because “solitary” means “alone and without human contact,” whereas PFC Manning had daily contact with prison staff and weekly visit