Politics
21:33, 17-May-2017
Wikileaks source Chelsea Manning released from prison
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US transgender soldier Chelsea Manning was released from prison on Wednesday after being jailed for one of the largest leaks of classified information in US history, according to the US Army.
The 29-year-old Manning, after spending seven years in jail, left the US Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas at about 2 a.m. local time, according to a brief statement released by the US Army.
In July 2010, Manning, then a male soldier known as Bradley, was convicted of providing over 700,000 classified documents, videos, diplomatic cables and military files to Wikileaks, an international organization that publishes secret information, news leaks, and classified media from anonymous sources.
The remaining 28 years of the 35-year sentence were commuted by former US President Barack Obama before he left office.
Chelsea Manning's tweet
Chelsea Manning's tweet
On Monday she tweeted: "Two more days until the freedom of civilian life ^_^ Now hunting for private #healthcare like millions of Americans =P."
Manning will remain on active army duty while her military court conviction remains under appeal. She will have healthcare benefits but will be unpaid, the army said.
Related story:
Obama commutes Chelsea Manning's sentence