Hearings can last for hours, and Manning is not permitted to have legal counsel during the hearing, nor will transcripts be made public.
In a letter to the Guardian, Manning, a former Army intelligence analyst, describes the trauma she experienced while going over evidence to mount her case.
"In the evidence, I saw a photograph of myself shortly after my suicide attempt. Seeing this photograph has haunted me for the past week. It has disturbed me. It sends a chill down my spine. This hurt me more than any physical injury or hardship I have lived through. This process has forced me to relive one of the worst moments of my entire life."
"I saw the face of a woman who had given up. I saw the face of woman who, for years, has politely asked, formally requested, and desperately begged for help."
Manning says she has not been given a copy of the evidence against her, and has only been able to look over the 100-page document for an hour.
Last week saw the end of a hunger strike Manning began in early September, after the US military agreed to allow her treatment for gender dysmorphia.
"This medical care is absolutely vital for Chelsea as it is for so many transgender people—in and out of prison— who are systemically denied treatment solely because they are transgender," said Chase Strangio, an ACLU staff attorney who represents Manning.
A day after receiving the news of the upcoming hearing, Manning received an updated, more detailed charge sheet that indicated she could still be punished for her suicide attempt.
According to documents published by social justice nonprofit Fight For The Future, Manning is being charged with "Resisting the Force Cell Move Team," even though she was unconscious when prison officers entered her cell, "Conduct Which Threatens," and being in possession of "Prohibited Property," for having a book.
In an ACLU press release, Fight for the Future campaign director Evan Greer said, "The US government’s treatment of Chelsea is a travesty. Those in charge should know that the whole world is watching, and we won’t stand idly by while this administration continues to harass and abuse Chelsea Manning."
Manning is currently serving a 35-year sentence for violating the Espionage Act. She leaked classified documents to WikiLeaks that included State Department communications, information on Guantanamo detainees and military field reports.
