Chelsea Manning, who released thousands of classified US military documents to the whistleblower website Wikileaks, says she is on hunger strike in protest at her treatment in prison.
"I have been asking for help. I have not been getting it. I need help," Manning tweeted from prison on Friday.
In a written statement on her website chelseamanning.org, the 28-year-old demanded written assurances from the US army that she would receive all "of the medically prescribed recommendations for her gender dysphoria".
"As of 12.01 am Central Daylight Time on September 9, 2016, and until I am given minimum standards of dignity, respect, and humanity, I shall - refuse to voluntarily cut or shorten my hair in any way; consume any food or drink voluntarily, except for water and currently prescribed medications; and comply with all rules, regulations, laws, and orders that are not related to the two things I have mentioned," she wrote.
Manning also demanded an end to what she termed "high tech bullying." She spoke of "constant, deliberate and overzealous administrative scrutiny by prison and military officials".
The former intelligence analyst was sentenced to 35 years in prison in 2013 for espionage after taking the classified documents while working in Iraq with the US military in January 2010.
She is currently in a military prison at the Fort Leavenworth military base in the US state of Kansas.
Manning launched an appeal against her conviction in May, saying her sentence was "grossly unfair and unprecedented" and should be reduced to 10 years.
