Obama cuts sentence of WikiLeaker Chelsea Manning

Obama cuts sentence of WikiLeaker Chelsea Manning

Washington: US President Barack Obama has slashed the sentence of transgender Chelsea Manning, who had been sentenced to 35 years behind bars for handing classified US documents to WikiLeaks, the White House said.

The outgoing US President shortened sentences for 209 inmates including former US military intelligence analyst.  Her sentence is now set to expire May 17.

Chelsea Manning, formerly Bradley Manning, following sex reassignment surgery. She was known as Bradley Manning at the time of her 2010 arrest and attempted suicide twice last year.

Obama is also pardoning 64 people, including retired Gen. James Cartwright, who was charged with making false statements during a probe into disclosure of classified information. Most of the other people receiving commutations were serving sentences for non violent drug offences.