President Obama leaves office on January 20, 2017, and now more than ever, we need to ask him to give Chelsea time served. She’s been in prison since May 2010. During that time, she was held in solitary confinement and attempted suicide twice. She is currently serving a 35-year sentence.
Dear President Obama:
I call on you to grant Chelsea Manning clemency and release her immediately.
I am concerned by the conditions that she was held in whilst in pre-trial detention which were described as cruel and inhumane by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. Her treatment was deemed to breach military standards by the judge presiding over her case and military officials.
I am also concerned that Chelsea was prevented from presenting evidence that she was acting in the public interest at her trial, which were not considered in her sentencing.
Due to the shortcomings in due process during Chelsea’s detention and trial I urge you to commute Chelsea’s sentence to time that she has already served in pre-trial detention, and release her immediately.
I ask that you urgently investigate the potential human rights violations exposed by Chelsea Manning, and note that some of the information revealed by her has added great value to public debate.
Finally, I call on you in strengthening protection for whistleblowers, and consider the effect of Chelsea’s severe punishment on limiting the capacity for others exposing human rights abuses to reveal them in the future.
