Julian Assange To 'Hand Himself In' Following Chelsea Manning Decision
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Julian Assange could be extradited to the US after President Obama commuted Chelsea Manning's sentence.
The transgender US Army private, 29, formerly known as Bradley Manning, will be released May 17, 2017, as opposed to the 2045 date which was already set.
She was initially sentenced to 35 years in 2013 for leaking diplomatic cables to non-profit leak publishers.
Manning made a petition to Obama last November, telling The Guardian it was 'the last real chance to make my case to go home for a very long time'.
WikiLeaks' official Twitter account tweeted the following around a week ago:
If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition despite clear unconstitutionality of DoJ case https://t.co/MZU30SlfGK
- WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) 12 January 2017
Which has been followed up with this today:
Assange lawyer @themtchair on Assange-Manning extradition 'deal': "Everything that he has said he's standing by."
- WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) 18 January 2017
Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for more than four years to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces sexual assault charges. However, the he could also face espionage charges in the United States.
Chelsea Manning has already served the longest sentence of 'any whistleblower in American history', according to her lawyers.
Fellow whistle-blower Edward Snowden Tweeted:
Let it be said here in earnest, with good heart: Thanks, Obama. https://t.co/IeumTasRNN
- Edward Snowden (@Snowden) 17 January 2017
It remains to be seen how this develops.
Source: The Guardian
Featured Image Credit: PA Images
