Chelsea Manning’s petition surpasses 100,000 signatures

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Sunday, December 11, 2016, 6:52 PM

U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Mannings petition calling on President Obama to reduce the remainder of her 35-year prison sentence exceeded its goal of 100,000 signatures as of Sunday, which would require the White House to respond.

We did it! Thank you so much for your love and support, Manning, 28, tweeted late Saturday.

Mannings petition created on Nov. 14 could get an official White House response within 60 days.

I don't know what to say. I am just grateful that I am not forgotten. You've given me hope, she tweeted in another post Sunday.

Army doctor doesn't recommend changing Chelsea Mannings gender

The transgender U.S. soldier, formerly known as Bradley Manning, was arrested in 2010 for leaking more than 700,000 State Department documents to WikiLeaks while she served in the military.

Those documents revealed many military secrets, including a 2007 Baghdad airstrike that killed civilians, information about Guantanamo detainees and Iraq War logs.

She was convicted in military court in 2013 for violating the Espionage Act, which prohibits people to convey information that could harm the U.S. armed forces.

After her conviction, Manning announced that she identified as a transgender woman and underwent hormone treatment behind bars in 2015.

Chelsea Manning attempts suicide for second time

Manning, in a statement to the New York Times, said she took full and complete responsibility for her actions, which she called wrong.

The sole relief I am asking for is to be released from military prison after serving six years of confinement as a person who did not intend to harm the interests of the United States or harm any service members, Manning said through her lawyer to the Times.

The former Army veteran attempted suicide for a second time in October at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., after her failed suicide attempt in July led her to solitary confinement, according to the Associated Press.

President Obama, as you and the medical community have recognized, prisoners who face solitary confinement are more likely to commit suicide, Mannings petition states.

President Obama has less than 40 days to respond to Manning before president-elect Donald Trump gets sworn in on Inauguration Day on Jan. 20.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Chelsea Manning's petition surpasses 100,000 signatures