Vote now for Bradley Manning, read about Mar 15 hearing, & protest media censorship! 18MAR12

Update on Bradley Manning's trial, a chance to vote for him to win Global Exchange's People's Choice Human Rights Award for 2012, and a great article about the letter sent to the DOD by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press demanding access to Bradley's trial (this is no ragtag group of radical leftist publications, every major media organization has signed on to this letter except fox "news"). AND PLEASE donate to his defense fund or to the campaign on Epic Step raising money for a PR campaign in the metro D.C. area!

Notes from Bradley Manning's motion hearing, human rights award, protest media censorship Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. 24 hours to help Bradley win Human Rights Award! Bradley Manning trails by only 400 votes for Global Exchange's "People's Choice" 2012 Human Rights Award. We have until Monday, 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern, to make up that difference! Login with Facebook or register on the site to vote. Please vote here Support Network reports from March 15-16 hearing Events being planned for Bradley's next hearing, April 24-26 Bradley Manning Support Network. March 18, 2012. (Fort Meade, MD) -- PFC Bradley Manning, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and alleged WikiLeaks whistleblower, has spent more than 660 days locked up while he waits for the government to prepare its case against him. Juan Mendez, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, has declared Bradley Manning’s treatment “cruel and inhuman”, but his requests to visit PFC Bradley Manning have been repeatedly blocked by the government. Soldiers have the right to a fair and speedy trial, but thus far the trial has proven to be a kangaroo court, "a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted". The judge in fact told the defense that a speedy trial would be impossible if the defense continued to file motions such as the requests to access key evidence and key witnesses that have thus far been blocked, and which are vital to PFC Bradley Manning’s defense. Bradley Manning’s attorney insists all charges must be dismissed after the government’s refusal to provide vast amounts of evidence and key witnesses. Criticizing “gamesmanship,” David Coombs said the prosecution “has so hopelessly confused discovery in this case so as to prejudice my client.” Unfortunately the judge was unable to establish an expected timeline for the trial, and two motions filed by the defense were denied, and another left unanswered, but the court is scheduled to reconvene for three days at Ft. Meade April 24th-26th. Read the entire report. International Bradley Manning Solidarity Action Days, April 24-26 Bradley Manning's next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, April 24th through Thursday, April 26th. If you can't be with us at Fort Meade to support Bradley, please host an event, vigil, rally, community presentation, or house party fundraiser in your community. We can help provide you with posters, stickers, and information cards to distribute. For more information regarding materials, or for additional ideas, please contact emma(at)bradleymanning.org. Also, consider joining our organizer list! Donate now to the Bradley Manning defense fund. For more information about the defense fund click here. Media coalition protests censorship of proceedings A broad coalition of media outlets sent a letter of protest to top Pentagon lawyer Jeh Johnson today, complaining that “the overwhelming majority of court records filed in [PFC Bradley] Manning’s court-martial have remained shielded from public view.” They say that the U.S. military’s “unnecessary degree of secrecy” has prevented journalists from adequately covering issues of considerable public interest. Writing on behalf of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Executive Director Lucy Dalglish urged the Defense Department to adopt at least the same level of media access as was recently extended to trials at Guantanamo Bay. She argued that these reforms are necessary “to ensure that military personnel tried stateside have the same rights to a public trial as those afforded accused terrorists.” Read the full letter. Donate now to the Bradley Manning defense fund. For more information about the defense fund click here. Washington DC Metro Ad Campaign Earlier this year, the Bradley Manning Support Network unveiled a billboard calling for the release of Bradley Manning in Washington D.C. so as to display broad public support and to catch the eye of military decision-makers passing by. Now that Manning’s trial is officially moving to court martial after the accused whistleblower and Nobel Peace Prize nominee approaches 650 days in prison, we’re launching a new ad campaign in the DC Metro (subway). Supporters can use their dollars to vote on which design will be used. Here is the current ad design with the most votes: We want to fund 21 Metro ads throughout the month of Manning’s court martial, which will be held in Ft. Meade, MD, 30 miles northeast of DC. Government employees use the DC Metro every day -- these ads will grab their attention, letting them know that the public demands Pfc. Manning’s freedom. In order to achieve this level of publicity, our goal is to raise $14,800 by April 21st. Learn more about the ad campaign here, and pledge your support! Thank you for supporting PFC Bradley Manning.