Chelsea Manning on Prison, 'Terrifying' Power of Government

Chelsea Manning, currently three years into a 35-year prison sentence for passing information to WikiLeaks, gave an interview to Amnesty International in which she discusses the power of the government, her life in a military prison, and more. The Guardian has an exclusive excerpt from that interview, which will later be published in a book. In the interview, Manning says she is scared of the government, which is incredibly powerful, especially when compared to individuals. "I am always afraid," she says. "It is very terrifying to face the government alone."

Manning tells Amnesty International she's no longer sure any good will come out of what she did, but she is "hopeful that, perhaps, the next time a democratic government thinks about committing military forces to the occupation of a country which is likely to lead to an insurgency, we can try and look back, and learn from the last time." As for her life in prison: "I try to stay as active and productive as possible," Manning says. "I don’t have access to the internet, but I read books and newspapers a lot. I work hard at the job that I have in prison–work with wood. I am also always trying to learn more, working on my education." Read the rest of the interview here. (More Chelsea Manning stories.)