Vancouver

MAWO Public Forum: Blowing the Whistle on War is Not a Crime! Free Chelsea Manning – Soldier of Humanity!

7:00pm
- 11:00pm
Mardi Août 11 2015

Public Forum + Multimedia Event

Free Chelsea Manning Campaign – Vancouver, Canada

>> Blowing the Whistle on War is Not a Crime!
Free Chelsea Manning – Soldier of Humanity!

"If you saw incredible, awful things, things that belonged in the public domain, not on some server in a dark room in Washington, what would you do?"
- Chelsea Manning, heroic WikiLeaks whistleblower

For the last five years Chelsea Manning has been behind bars in a U.S. prison. Her crime? Being a U.S. soldier who blew the whistle on U.S. war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even while facing a 35 year sentence, she has continued to speak out against injustice and to defend her actions.

This forum will include important updates on Chelsea's legal case, as well as the overall international campaign demanding her freedom. Join us to discuss why Chelsea Manning is a soldier of humanity, and how peace and justice loving people in Vancouver and beyond can join in this important campaign!

* * Help Chelsea Manning's Defense Campaign! * *
Donations collected at the event will go towards Chelsea Manning's Defense Fund, which is currently in urgent need of $45,000 for her upcoming appeal before the US Army Court of Criminal Appeals.

Join the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/711477938956500/
See the poster: http://www.mawovancouver.org/materials/posters/150800-CHELSEA-MANNING-FO...

WHO IS PRIVATE CHELSEA MANNING?

Private Chelsea Manning (formerly Bradley Manning) is the 27 year old United States soldier accused of leaking over 260,000 classified US diplomatic cables, as well as videos and documents which have become known as the Afghan war Diary and the Iraq War Logs. Published on the whistleblower site Wikileaks, they further exposed US war crimes around the world including mass killings, torture, corruption, and the government’s web of lies and attempted cover-up of United States atrocities.

For telling the truth and acting upon her conscience, Private Manning was arrested and has now been in military prison for over five years. Manning was also held in solitary confinement for the first 10 months of incarceration. During this time she was denied meaningful exercise, social interaction, sunlight, and has occasionally been kept completely naked. These conditions were unique to Manning and are illegal even under US military law as they amount to extreme pre-trial punishment.

On August 21, 2013 military judge Colonel Denise sentenced Private Manning to 35 years in prison. This case sets a dangerous precedent undermining the first amendment right of freedom of speech, opening whistle-blowers and those who help them to extreme persecution.

Public outcry to free Private Manning has been widespread all around the world. Besides the public actions and protests for Private Manning, she has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Text modified from Chelsea Manning Support Network Website: www.chelseamanning.org

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