Chelsea Manning celebrates her freedom
CHELSEA MANNING was released from prison yesterday after Barack Obama commuted the final 28 years of her 35-year sentence for leaking classified information.
“First steps of freedom!” she tweeted, with a photo of her trainerclad feet.
Released from Fort Leavenworth military prison in Kansas, Ms Manning’s lawyers said she was looking forward to exploring life as a woman and growing her hair – something she was not permitted to do behind bars, having entered prison as Bradley Manning.
Ms Manning, 29, was arrested in 2010 over the release of a huge trove of more than 700,000 classified military and diplomatic documents via Wikileaks. She was sentenced in August 2013.
“It is incredible to witness Chelsea Manning’s freedom after having seen and worked with her behind bars for four years,” said Chase Strangio, one of Ms Manning’s lawyers.
“Through extended periods of solitary confinement and up against the government’s insistence on denying her medical care and existence as a woman, Chelsea has emerged with grace, resilience and an inspiring amount of love for others.”
Ms Manning would remain on unpaid, active-duty status as she continued to appeal against her court martial, the US Army said. She would still be able to get military medical benefits, including for gender dysphoria and gender reassignment. But Mr Strangio said his client did not want army assistance.
“Because of … her circumstances and the experience of confinement, she is very committed to living her life as free from the government as possible and taking care of her own health benefits and financial needs, separate and apart from the continued benefits available to her,” he said.