Chelsea Manning Facing Solitary Confinement

By Sky News US Team

Chelsea Manning could be placed in indefinite solitary confinement for allegedly having prohibited reading material and disorderly conduct while serving her 35-year prison sentence.

The former intelligence analyst has been charged with a number of disciplinary infractions at the all-male military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and will attend a hearing before a three-person adjustment board on 18 August.

Nancy Hollander, her lawyer, said the alleged infractions on 2 July and 9 July included disrespect, possession of prohibited books and magazines while under administrative segregation, medicine misuse pertaining to expired toothpaste and disorderly conduct for pushing food on to the floor.

Manning is said to have had a copy of this Vanity Fair magazine

The maximum penalty is indefinite solitary confinement.

Among the items that were confiscated from Manning were a Vanity Fair magazine with former Olympic athlete Caitlyn Jenner on the cover.

Ms Hollander said: "I think it's harassment. It appears to be an attempt to silence her.

Private Manning after the sentencing in 2013

"Chelsea writes quite a bit. She is vocal. Certainly it's not a national security issue."

Manning, who was born a man but identifies as a woman, was convicted in 2013 as Bradley Manning of providing more than 700,000 documents, videos, diplomatic cables and battlefield accounts to WikiLeaks.

It has been described as the biggest classified material breach in US history.

Associated Press news agency contacted the US Army to clarify what kinds of reading material were banned at the prison, but did not receive a response.

Manning worked as an intelligence analyst in Baghdad when she leaked the government material.

The Pentagon said last year the US Army will provide gender identity treatment for Manning.

Ms Hollander said she was receiving hormone treatment.

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Chelsea Manning Facing Solitary Confinement