Chelsea Manning was released from U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, today after seven years of incarceration. The former Army Intelligence analyst was originally sentenced to 35 years for leaking approximately 750,000 secret documents to WikiLeaks in 2010, and disrupting international diplomacy. Her sentence was commuted in January by Barack Obama.

Manning said in a statement to ABC News:

Manning, who came out as transgender soon after sentencing and began hormone therapy in prison, posted her “first steps to freedom” on Instagram on Wednesday morning. </s> Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst behind one of the largest classified information leaks in US history, was released from military prison early Wednesday morning, an Army spokeswoman said.

She was released from United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas around 3 a.m. ET, Lt. Col. Jennifer Johnson told CNN.

Amnesty International, which had campaigned for Manning’s release, was quick to applaud the decision.

“While we celebrate her freedom, we will continue to call for an independent investigation into the potential human rights violations she exposed, and for protections to be put in place to ensure whistleblowers like Chelsea are never again subjected to such appalling treatment,” a statement said.

Manning was convicted in 2013 of stealing 750,000 pages of documents and videos before leaking them to WikiLeaks.

Manning — known then as Bradley Manning — was sentenced to 35 years in prison on 20 counts, including violations of the Espionage Act.

After the 2013 sentencing, the ex-intelligence agent changed her name to Chelsea Manning and became a transgender woman.

During one of his final acts in office, President Barack Obama commuted Manning’s sentence in January, thereby giving her an early release date.

Last week, Manning tweeted her excitement about her impending release: “Freedom was only a dream, and hard to imagine. Now it’s here! You kept me alive <3”

Manning had to serve her sentence in an all-male military prison despite a request to transfer to a civilian prison.

“For the first time, I can see a future for myself as Chelsea. I can imagine surviving and living as the person who I am and can finally be in the outside world,” she said in a written statement.

“I hope to take the lessons that I have learned, the love that I have been given, and the hope that I have to work toward making life better for others.”

Manning remains on active duty status pending the conclusion of her appeals. As such, she may be entitled to military benefits, including health care.

Manning was one of the first service members to access transgender health care benefits under new policy and the first to be approved for gender reassignment surgery in military prison.

“PVT Manning is statutorily entitled to medical care while on excess leave in an active duty status, pending final appellate review,” the Army said in a statement Wednesday.

“In an active duty status, although in an unpaid status, Manning is eligible for direct care at medical treatment facilities, commissary privileges, Morale Welfare and Recreation privileges, and Exchange privileges.”

Obama’s decision to commute Manning’s sentence set off harsh criticism from some Republicans and intelligence officials. But Obama said she had served a “tough sentence.”

“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,” Hollander and Ward said in a joint statement.

“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.” </s> Fort Leavenworth, Kansas – After seven years behind bars, Army leaker Chelsea Manning walked out of a military prison early Wednesday morning.

In January, then-President Barack Obama commuted Manning’s 35-year sentence for leaking troves of military intelligence records to the website Wikileaks.

Chelsea Manning was released from Fort Leavenworth in the dead of night with no fanfare according to a U.S. Army official.

Manning served just seven years of a 35-year sentence for releasing a trove of classified information to Wikileaks.

Former President Obama, as one of his final and more controversial acts in office, commuted the remainder of Manning’s sentence, saying he believed 35-years was disproportionate to what other leakers have received and that justice had been served.

Manning came out as a transgender woman shortly after her conviction and has had a rough time in prison according to her attorneys, attempting suicide twice.

Manning’s legal team is not releasing any information about her immediate future plans, only saying she will continue to appeal her conviction.

While that appeal goes forward Manning will remain a member of the U.S. Military, eligible for benefits but not pay.

$140,000 has been raised on-line to help Manning re-acclimate and start a new life.

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 Note: By commenting below you agree to abide by the KOBI5.com commenting guidelines. View the KOBI5.com Comment Board Guidelines » </s> U.S. soldier Chelsea Manning, serving a 35-year prison term for passing classified files to WikiLeaks, ended her hunger strike on Tuesday after the Army said she would be allowed to receive gender transition surgery, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said. Manning (28), who was born male but revealed after being convicted of espionage that she identifies as a woman, announced the hunger strike on Friday.

Manning’s treatment will begin with the surgery that was recommended by her psychologist in April, the ACLU, which represented Manning, said in a statement. Manning is held in Kansas.

No transgender inmate has ever before received gender affirming surgical treatment in prison, the ACLU said. “I am unendingly relieved that the military is finally doing the right thing. I applaud them for that. This is all that I wanted — for them to let me be me,” Manning said in a statement, though she went on to criticise the government for taking “so long.” </s> Whistleblower Chelsea Manning has ended her hunger strike after the Army agreed to give her gender transition surgery.

The transgender soldier, who is serving a 35-year prison term for passing classified files to WikiLeaks, went on hunger strike on Friday.

Today, the American Civil Liberties Union announced Manning, 28, had ended her protest after the Army agreed to the treatment.

Arrested originally as Bradley Manning, she was convicted in 2013 of six Espionage Act violations and 14 other offenses for leaking more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents, plus some battlefield video.

Manning, who was an intelligence analyst in Iraq at the time, later filed a transgender prisoner rights lawsuit.

She has appealed the criminal case, arguing that her sentence was 'grossly unfair' and that her actions were those of a naive, troubled soldier who aimed to reveal the toll of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The appeal contends Manning's disclosures harmed no one, but prosecutors have said the leaked material damaged US security and identified informants who helped US forces.

Her attorney's statement concluded: 'For us, hearing Chelsea's voice after learning that she had attempted to take her life last week was incredibly emotional.

'She is someone who has fought so hard for so many issues we care about and we are honored to fight for her freedom and medical care.'

Manning made an attempt to take her own life in July, her attorneys confirmed.

Chelsea Manning's legal representatives said in a statement: 'Last week, Chelsea made a decision to end her life. Her attempt to take her own life was unsuccessful.'

They did not disclose details about the July 5 incident at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, where the 28-year-old is serving a 35-year sentence.

But they accused the U.S. Army of a 'gross breach of confidentiality' for publicly revealing last week that Manning had been rushed to hospital.

Manning's lawyers added that the soldier 'knows that people have questions about how she is doing' and will remain under close observation at the lockup for several weeks.

'She would have preferred to keep her private medical information private, and instead focus on her recovery,' said her attorneys.

'The government's gross breach of confidentiality in disclosing her personal health information to the media has created the very real concern that they may continue their unauthorized release of information about her publicly without warning.'

Manning herself has since taken to Twitter, posting: 'I am okay. I'm glad to be alive. Thank you all for your love <3 I will get through this. #standwithchelsea'

If you need to speak to a counselor, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1 (800) 273-8255. </s> KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on the release of Pvt. Chelsea Manning from a Kansas military prison (all times local):

Media reports say Pvt. Chelsea Manning has been released from a Kansas military prison after serving seven years of her 35-year sentence for leaking classified government materials to WikiLeaks.

NBC News, citing an unnamed U.S Army official, says Manning was released from Fort Leavenworth military prison Wednesday at around 2 a.m. Central Time. The BBC also cites an unnamed Army representative in reporting she has left the facility. The Associated Press has not confirmed these reports.

Former President Barack Obama granted Manning clemency during his final days in office.

Manning, an Oklahoma native, was convicted in 2013 of 20 counts, including six Espionage Act violations, theft and computer fraud.

Previously known as Bradley Manning, the former intelligence analyst in Iraq said she wanted to expose what she considered to be the U.S. military’s disregard of the effects of war on civilians.

Pvt. Chelsea Manning is due to be released from a Kansas military prison after serving seven years of her 35-year sentence for leaking classified government materials to WikiLeaks.

The transgender soldier is scheduled to be freed from Fort Leavenworth on Wednesday in accordance with former President Barack Obama’s decision to grant her clemency in his final days in office.

The Oklahoma native’s attorneys and the Army have refused to say precisely when and how she will be released, citing potential safety concerns.

The former intelligence analyst in Iraq acknowledged leaking the materials, saying she wanted to expose what she considered to be the U.S. military’s disregard of the effects of war on civilians.

She was known as Bradley Manning before transitioning in prison. </s> A transgender soldier imprisoned in Kansas for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks says she is ending a hunger strike because the Army has agreed to allow her to get medical treatment for her gender dysphoria.

Chelsea Manning began a hunger strike Friday to protest her treatment at Fort Leavenworth. The American Civil Liberties Union said in a news release Tuesday that Manning's treatment will begin with surgery that her psychologist recommended in April. Manning says in the release that she's relieved the military approved the treatment but frustrated that it took so long.

Manning, who was arrested as Bradley Manning, was convicted in 2013 in military court of leaking more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents. </s> U.S. soldier Chelsea Manning, who was born male but identifies as a woman, imprisoned for handing over classified files to pro-transparency site WikiLeaks, is pictured dressed as a woman in this 2010 photograph obtained on August 14, 2013. Courtesy U.S. Army/Handout via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. soldier Chelsea Manning, serving a 35-year prison term for passing classified files to WikiLeaks, ended her hunger strike on Tuesday after the Army said she would be allowed to receive gender transition surgery, the American Civil Liberties Union said.

The 28-year-old Army private, who was born male but revealed after being convicted of espionage that she identifies as a woman, announced the hunger strike on Friday.

Manning's treatment will begin with the surgery that was recommended by her psychologist in April, the ACLU, which represented Manning, said in a statement. Manning is held in Kansas.

No transgender inmate has ever before received gender affirming surgical treatment in prison, the ACLU said.

"I am unendingly relieved that the military is finally doing the right thing. I applaud them for that. This is all that I wanted — for them to let me be me," Manning said in a statement, though she went on to criticize the government for taking "so long."

A representative for the U.S. Department of Defense could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday evening.

Manning in July tried to commit suicide over what her representatives said was the government's denial of appropriate treatment for her gender dysphoria, a condition in which a person feels their physical gender is the opposite of the one he or she identifies with.

The Army announced later that month that it would investigate Manning for misconduct in connection with the attempt to take her own life, a probe that could lead to indefinite solitary confinement, reclassification into maximum security or additional prison time.

According to Manning's representatives, doctors have recommended that as part of her treatment for gender dysphoria the soldier, who began hormone therapy in 2015, be allowed to follow "female hair grooming standards."

ACLU staff attorney Chase Strangio said in Tuesday's statement that the government plans to still enforce the male hair standards.

Manning, a former intelligence analyst in Iraq, was sentenced in 2013 to 35 years in prison after a military court conviction of providing more than 700,000 documents, videos, diplomatic cables and battlefield accounts to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks. The case ranked as the biggest breach of classified materials in U.S. history.

Among the files Manning leaked in 2010 was a gunsight video of a U.S. Apache helicopter firing on suspected Iraqi insurgents in 2007, an attack that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters news staff. </s> A transgender soldier imprisoned in the US for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks will end a hunger strike after the Army agreed to allow her to receive medical treatment for her gender dysphoria.

Chelsea Manning’s medical treatment will begin with surgery that was recommended by her psychologist in April, the American Civil Liberties Union said.

Manning began the hunger strike at Fort Leavenworth military prison in Kansas on Friday, vowing to continue until she received better treatment.

'Let me be me'

“I am unendingly relieved that the military is finally doing the right thing. I applaud them for that,” said Mannig, who attended Tasker Milward school in Pembrokeshire for four years.

“This is all that I wanted – for them to let me be me.

“But it is hard not to wonder why it has taken so long. In any case, I hope this sets a precedent for the thousands of trans people behind me hoping they will be given the treatment they need.”

Manning, who was arrested in 2010 as Bradley Manning, was convicted in 2013 in military court of leaking more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents to WikiLeaks.

Manning was an intelligence analyst in Iraq at the time. She is serving a 35-year sentence.

ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio said Manning should “enjoy some peace” knowing the medical care was coming.

“Thankfully the government has recognised its constitutional obligation to provide Chelsea with the medical care that she needs and we hope that they will act without delay to ensure that her suffering does not needlessly continue.”

Ms Strangio said it is worrying that Manning still faces administrative charges related to a suicide attempt on July 5 at the military prison.

She wants the Army to drop those charges and stop efforts to make Manning cut her hair to male hair length military standards.

The ACLU filed a lawsuit in 2014 against the US Department of Defence over its refusal to treat Manning’s gender dysphoria.
Imprisoned former American Army intelligence analyst and transgender person Chelsea Manning, who is serving a 35-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth, will have the military provide the costs of gender reassignment surgery. She was convicted by court-martial in July 2013 of violations of the Espionage Act and other offenses, after disclosing to WikiLeaks nearly three-quarters of a million classified or unclassified but sensitive military and diplomatic documents.