1 day ago By Press Association <\/p>\n
National security leaker Chelsea Manning is not receiving medical treatment for her gender identity condition, it has been claimed. <\/p>\n
The American Civil Liberties Union and Manning's civilian lawyer, David Coombs, have told the US Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and officials including defence secretary Chuck Hagel, that a lawsuit will be filed if it is not confirmed by September 4 that the treatment will be provided for the army private. <\/p>\n
Manning, who changed her name from Bradley after her conviction, is serving a 35-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth for sending classified documents to the WikiLeaks website. She has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, the sense of being a woman in a man's body. <\/p>\n
Manning sought evaluation and treatment after she was sent to Fort Leavenworth last September. She is asking for hormone therapy and to be able to live as a woman. <\/p>\n
Military doctors confirmed the gender dysphoria diagnosis and recommended a treatment plan, but she has yet to receive any, according to the ACLU. <\/p>\n
\"The continued failure to provide Ms Manning with this treatment is inconsistent with well-established medical protocols and basic constitutional principles,\" Chase Strangio, lawyer for the ACLU's Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project, said. <\/p>\n
Mr Strangio said refusing to treat Manning was \"cruel and unusual punishment\" and accused the US Army of withholding treatment for political reasons. <\/p>\n
The lack of treatment puts Manning at risk for serious long-term physical and psychological harm, her advocates say. <\/p>\n
Former intelligence analyst Manning was sentenced last year for six Espionage Act violations and 14 other offences for giving WikiLeaks more than 700,000 secret military and US State Department documents. <\/p>\n
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