Ocasio-Cortez Decries Solitary Confinement After Report Manafort Headed to Rikers: He ‘Should Be Released’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) decried the practice of holding inmates in solitary confinement in response to reports that Paul Manafort, who is serving a federal prison sentence on a bevy of fraud and conspiracy charges, is being sent to Rikers Island.

“Paul Manafort is being sent to solitary confinement in my district – Rikers Island,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Wednesday, in response to a New York Times report that the former Trump campaign chief was being sent to the notorious New York prison. “A prison sentence is not a license for gov torture and human rights violations. That‘s what solitary confinement is.”

“Manafort should be released, along with all people being held in solitary,” she added, clarifying in a subsequent tweet that she believed Manafort should be released from solitary, not prison.

Ocasio-Cortez acknowledged that the report said Manafort was going to be held in protective custody at Rikers, along with other high-profile inmates.

Paul Manafort is being sent to solitary confinement in my district – Rikers Island.

A prison sentence is not a license for gov torture and human rights violations. That‘s what solitary confinement is.

Manafort should be released, along with all people being held in solitary. https://t.co/9rERLDSzrD

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 5, 2019

Yes – released from solitary.

NYT used the term solitary confinement, & that’s what I am commenting on.

“Protective custody” IS a separate practice, but does not necessarily exclude solitary. If he is in fact not being held in solitary, great. Release everyone else from it too.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 5, 2019

Shortly after, the Times changed the headline of their story to note that Manafort will be held in isolation.

UPDATE 2:50 p.m. EST: Ocasio-Cortez added in a tweet that while Manafort should not be pardoned, solitary confinement should be abolished.

Sorry, but if people aren’t willing to apply principles evenly, no matter the person, then they aren’t fighting for criminal justice reform.

People acting as though this is summer camp. It’s Rikers, widely known for abuse. #AbolishSolitary

(& no, ofc he shouldn’t be pardoned) https://t.co/DwmJSnUrnS

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 5, 2019

[Photo by Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images]