2011-04-05 365 Days of #WikiLeaks (Since the 'Collateral Murder' Video Release) #365Leaks [Update:1]

Update:The final leg of #365Leaks will be completed during the next hours.

April 5 marks an important anniversary in the history of WikiLeaks. It was the day that WikiLeaks released the "Collateral Murder" video showing a 2007 Apache helicopter attack in New Baghdad. It was when WikiLeaks became a much more prominent organization.

Following "Collateral Murder," WikiLeaks went on to release the Afghan War Logs and the Iraq War Logs. At the end of the year, it began to release 250,000 US State Embassy Cables that still continue to be released. It went from just an organization posting documents to the web to one that made attempts to form partnerships with media organizations to provide context to the information being released.

The year also saw one soldier, Pfc. Bradley Manning, arrested and eventually taken to Quantico Marine brig. Suspected of (and later officially charged with) leaking the material WikiLeaks would go on to release throughout 2010, Manning has suffered cruel and unusual punishment and has been deprived of his right to a speedy trial. Brig officers appear to be using "learned helplessness" techniques to wear Manning down and force him to make a confession that can tie him to Assange and the wider WikiLeaks organization, making it possible for the US government to expand their targeting of WikiLeaks and anyone connected to the organization.

If Manning is responsible for leaking material many have benefited from reading in the past year, he is clearly a hero. Today, WL Central celebrates "365 Days of WikiLeaks." We also call attention to Manning's inhumane treatment, which must come to an end now, and call on everyone sympathetic to the cause of freedom of information and transparency to support this brave individual if he came to the conclusion that information he had access to needed to be seen by the world so massive injustice and suffering in wars and under repressive regimes could begin to come to an end.

Follow this feed as @kgosztola tweets #365Leaks — to honor the bold work of WikiLeaks over the past 365 days. Tweets will come throughout next days, specifically: (1) 7-9 am New York Time on April 5th (2) 8-10 pm New York Time on April 5th, (3) 7-9 am New York Time on April 6th and (4) and, finally, to finish up, (4) 8-10 pm New York Time on April 6th.