Supporters: Chelsea Manning Is in Solitary Confinement

Supporters of Chelsea Manning have called for her release from prolonged solitary confinement at a Virginia jail, but an official disputes that she's being held in those conditions, the AP reports. Former Army intelligence analyst Manning was sent to jail March 8 for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks. She had previously served years in prison for leaking troves of classified US documents. The Chelsea Resists group says in a Saturday news release that Manning "has been kept in her cell for 22 hours a day. This treatment qualifies as Solitary Confinement."

Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne says in a statement that the group's accusations "are not accurate or fair." The sheriff says the facility does not have solitary confinement but uses "administrative segregation" and inmates have access to visits, books, and recreation. A judge has ordered Manning jailed until she either testifies or the grand jury concludes its work, the Guardian reports. (Much more on the contempt of court case here.)