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Global Protests Back Bradley Manning as Court-Martial Ends

HeadlineJul 29, 2013

Closing arguments have wrapped in the military trial of Army Private Bradley Manning after nearly two months. The presiding judge, Colonel Denise Lind, is now deliberating on 21 charges, including “aiding the enemy.” Manning faces up to life in prison for leaking more than 700,000 documents to WikiLeaks and other news sources, the largest leak of classified information in U.S. history. On Friday, Manning supporters blocked the gates of Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., home of the convening authority in Manning’s court-martial.

John Pepper: “I don’t think he’s claimed to be naive; I think he has claimed to have done the right thing. I don’t think the question is whether he was naive; I think the question is whether or not he did the right thing.”

Rachel Atwood: “The very idea that he is being punished for coming out against war crimes and such cruelty by his fellow servicemen is — it’s really disturbing.”

Over the weekend, protesters in dozens of cities around the world also held rallies to mark an international day of action calling for Manning’s release.

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