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Chelsea Manning confirms her release from prison next week | |
(2 days later) | |
Chelsea Manning has released a statement ahead of her planned release from prison next week. | Chelsea Manning has released a statement ahead of her planned release from prison next week. |
The transgender US army private, born Bradley Manning, is due to be freed on 17 May, after former President Barack Obama commuted her sentence. | The transgender US army private, born Bradley Manning, is due to be freed on 17 May, after former President Barack Obama commuted her sentence. |
Manning had been scheduled for release in 2045, after receiving a 35-year sentence for her role in leaking diplomatic cables to Wikileaks. | Manning had been scheduled for release in 2045, after receiving a 35-year sentence for her role in leaking diplomatic cables to Wikileaks. |
She confirmed the release was going ahead on her Twitter feed on Tuesday. | She confirmed the release was going ahead on her Twitter feed on Tuesday. |
"Freedom was only a dream, and hard to imagine. Now it's here! You kept me alive <3," Manning wrote, linking to a longer statement which referred to some of the treatment she had received behind bars, including "periods of solitary confinement, and... routinely forced haircuts". | "Freedom was only a dream, and hard to imagine. Now it's here! You kept me alive <3," Manning wrote, linking to a longer statement which referred to some of the treatment she had received behind bars, including "periods of solitary confinement, and... routinely forced haircuts". |
"For the first time, I can see a future for myself as Chelsea," she said. "I can imagine surviving and living as the person who I am and can finally be in the outside world." | "For the first time, I can see a future for myself as Chelsea," she said. "I can imagine surviving and living as the person who I am and can finally be in the outside world." |
Manning said she would be "forever grateful" to all those who had supported her and President Obama, and now hoped to make "life better for others". | Manning said she would be "forever grateful" to all those who had supported her and President Obama, and now hoped to make "life better for others". |
President Obama commuted her sentence in January, with just three days left in office. The move did not satisfy all her supporters, as some felt she should have been pardoned. | President Obama commuted her sentence in January, with just three days left in office. The move did not satisfy all her supporters, as some felt she should have been pardoned. |
A joint statement from her lawyers, Nancy Hollander and Vincent Ward, noted: "Chelsea has already served the longest sentence of any whistleblower in the history of this country. It has been far too long, too severe, too draconian. | A joint statement from her lawyers, Nancy Hollander and Vincent Ward, noted: "Chelsea has already served the longest sentence of any whistleblower in the history of this country. It has been far too long, too severe, too draconian. |
"President Obama's act of commutation was the first time the military took care of this soldier who risked so much to disclose information that served the public interest." | "President Obama's act of commutation was the first time the military took care of this soldier who risked so much to disclose information that served the public interest." |
What was in the leaked cables? | What was in the leaked cables? |
The US army charged Manning with 22 counts relating to the unauthorised possession and distribution of more than 700,000 secret diplomatic and military documents and videos. | The US army charged Manning with 22 counts relating to the unauthorised possession and distribution of more than 700,000 secret diplomatic and military documents and videos. |
Included in those files was video footage of an Apache helicopter killing 12 civilians in Baghdad in 2007. | Included in those files was video footage of an Apache helicopter killing 12 civilians in Baghdad in 2007. |
Manning also passed on sensitive messages between US diplomats, intelligence assessments of Guantanamo detainees being held without trial and military records from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. | Manning also passed on sensitive messages between US diplomats, intelligence assessments of Guantanamo detainees being held without trial and military records from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
The disclosures were considered an embarrassment to the US, prompting the Obama administration to crack down on government leaks. | The disclosures were considered an embarrassment to the US, prompting the Obama administration to crack down on government leaks. |
At a sentencing hearing, Manning apologised for "hurting the US" and said she had thought she could "change the world for the better". | At a sentencing hearing, Manning apologised for "hurting the US" and said she had thought she could "change the world for the better". |
Manning twice attempted suicide last year at the male military prison where she is being held at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. | Manning twice attempted suicide last year at the male military prison where she is being held at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. |
She also went on a hunger strike last year, which she ended after the military agreed to provide her with gender transition treatment. | She also went on a hunger strike last year, which she ended after the military agreed to provide her with gender transition treatment. |
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