While she was seen as a traitor by some, many more considered her a whistleblower and hero.
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I highly doubt that President Obama commuted Chelsea Manning’s sentence out of compassion – and suspect it was just one more slap in America’s face on his way out the door.
At the time of her arrest, Chelsea Manning was known as Bradley Manning, a man. A year ago the Army agreed to finance her medical treatment for gender dysphoria.
Manning twice tried to kill herself past year and has struggled to cope as a transgender woman in the Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, men’s military prison. This is part of the argument for Snowden to return to the country and face trial.
Manning’s treatment by the U.S. military has always been the focus of a conversation surrounding the leaks and legal response. She was originally set to be freed in 2045, according to the New York Times. Manning was held in harsh solitary confinement at the Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia for close to a year, in conditions that prompted an investigation by Juan Mendez, who was then the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture.
Manning was originally serving a 35-year sentence, but on Tuesday Obama reduced it. She had also been behind bars for over six years, comparable to what similar offenders had served, they said.
The decision has been welcomed by Amnesty International USA executive director Margret Huang who applauded the president’s decision but said that it was long overdue. “Manning as the face of the trans community would be very unsafe”.
Obama on Wednesday defended Manning’s commutation, saying she had “served a tough prison sentence”.
The Pentagon recently adopted a policy of allowing transgender people to serve openly in the military. Leavenworth as a transgender woman was a travesty of justice.
Are the recent “extradition” tweets more carefully crafted opportunism?
Although she avoided capital punishment for aiding the enemy, in 2013 Manning pleaded guilty to ten other charges and was found guilty of a further 11.
Chase Strangio, Manning’s attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, confirmed the commutation to ABC News.
The former intelligence analyst said she had passed on government and military documents to raise awareness about the impact of war.
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“If Pvt Manning is discharged with a dishonorable discharge, she will lose her entitlement to (military) benefits, including gender-transition care at (military) medical treatment facilities”.
