Chelsea Manning is facing solitary confinement ‘over expired toothpaste’
Jailed whistleblower Chelsea Manning is facing indefinite solitary confinement – over a tube of expired toothpaste and a copy of Caitlyn Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover.
Private Manning, who announced her transition to female in 2013, is currently imprisoned in Fort Leavenworth military prison after leaking details of classified documents via Wikileaks.
The whistleblower is currently appealing her 35-year prison sentence and suing for her right to transition behind bars. The US Military has continued to refer to the data analyst by her former gender and former name and until recently blocked gender treatment.
However, the trans prisoner – who uses her vast support network to help raise awareness of her case and even write articles from prison – could now be sent to solitary confinement indefinitely over a number of ‘violations’.
According to lawyer Nancy Hollander, Private Manning is facing a number of infractions including “medicine misuse” – for owning a tube of expired toothpaste – and “possession of prohibited property” for keeping the copy of Vanity Fair featuring Caitlyn Jenner on the front cover.
She is also facing charges for “disorderly conduct” and “disrespect” – and could be sentenced to solitary at a closed prison hearing on August 18.
Ms Hollander said: “This is like prison disciplinary infractions in a civilian prison and there will be a hearing, but frankly it looks to me like harassment.”
Rights groups have raised concern about the charges, with some condemning them as a tactic to isolate her from activists working on her behalf, and her support network.
