A statement was released from Chelsea Manning’s lawyers on the 17 new indictments to charge Assange with if he is extradited. Once again, Manning shows integrity and heroism in her statement. An article at Sparrow Media states the following:
“I continue to accept full and sole responsibility for those disclosures in 2010,” said Chelsea Manning this evening. “It’s telling that the government appears to have already obtained this indictment before my contempt hearing last week. This administration describes the press as the opposition party and an enemy of the people. Today, they use the law as a sword, and have shown their willingness to bring the full power of the state against the very institution intended to shield us from such excesses.”
Her lawyer also released a statement:
Moira Meltzer-Cohen, Manning’s attorney stated, “up until now the Department Of Justice has been reticent to actually indict publishers for work implicating matters of national security, because the first amendment rights of the press and public are so constitutionally valuable. This signals a real shift, and sets a new precedent for the federal government’s desire to chill and even punish the vigorous exercise of the free press.”
Regardless of your feelings about Manning, she has shown her principles by going to jail rather than testify against Assange. I am positive the current grand jury subpoenaed her knowing this so they could once again incarcerate her. Her sentence was communed by President Obama after 7 years imprisonment. She has served her time. She was tortured during those 7 years and still remains dignified. She deserves her freedom.
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