Chelsea Manning to leave prison in May as Obama commutes sentence

Chelsea Manning, the U.S. Army soldier who was convicted under the Espionage Act for her WikiLeaks disclosures, will be released from prison on May 17 this year, the New York Times and AP report.

Manning’s sentence stretched to 2045, had Obama not commuted the majority of that prison term in his final days as President.

The White House boasted today that “Obama has now granted more commutations than any president in this nation’s history.” The Obama administration, however, has set records for its enforcement of the Espionage Act.

Obama has not offered clemency to Edward Snowden, who was also convicted under the Espionage Act. Last week, human rights groups presented the White House with a petition to pardon Snowden signed by 1 million people.