Military officials have until Sept. 4 to provide gender identity disorder treatment to Chelsea Manning (formerly known as Army Pvt. Bradley Manning), or face a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, according to The Associated Press.
In July, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel approved the early stages of treatment for Manning, whom the Army diagnosed with gender identity disorder.
But Manning's attorney, David E. Coombs, and the ACLU say that treatment has yet to begin.
ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio released a statement on Manning's behalf that reads, in part:
“Our constitution requires that the government provide medically necessary care to the individuals it holds in its custody. It is cruel and unusual punishment to withhold from Ms. Manning the care that the military’s own doctors have deemed medically necessary. The Army is withholding her care for political reasons, which is simply not permitted by our Constitution.”
As Home Post has previously reported, a military judge found Manning guilty of espionage in 2013 for providing top secret government documents to Wikileaks.
Manning announced her desire to receive treatment for gender identity disorder a day after being sentenced to 35 years in prison.
