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Group criticizes detention conditions

LONDON, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Amnesty International says the U.S. government's treatment of the Army private accused of leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks is inhumane.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the human rights group said Bradley Manning, 23, hasn't been convicted of any offense, but military authorities appear to "be using all available means to punish him while in detention."

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Manning was arrested in May 2010 and charged with "transferring classified data" and "delivering national defense information to an unauthorized source." Manning is being held at the Marine Corps base at Quantico, Va.

Amnesty said he has been held for 23 hours a day in a solitary cell and deprived of a pillow, sheets and personal possessions since July 2010.

"We are concerned that the conditions inflicted on Bradley Manning are unnecessarily severe and amount to inhumane treatment by the U.S. authorities," said Susan Lee, Amnesty's program director for the Americas. "The repressive conditions imposed on Manning breach the United States' obligations to treat detainees with humanity and dignity."

Manning was placed on "suicide risk" last week, resulting in him being stripped of clothes with the exception of his underwear, and the confiscation of prescription eyeglasses for most of the day.

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Following protests from Manning and his lawyers, the suicide risk restrictions were lifted Thursday.

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