A soldier jailed for leaking classified government and military documents to WikiLeaks is reportedly on President Barack Obama’s shortlist for commutation.
Chelsea Manning, who is serving a 35-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, could see her jail term reduced, sources have told NBC News.
Political correspondent Cynthia McFadden tweeted the news on Wednesday afternoon, noting that if Manning’s sentence is commuted it will mean her punishment will be reduced but she will not be pardoned.
A Justice Department source said a commutation is being “actively considered” by the president.
Manning, who has attempted to commit suicide at least twice, has served seven years of her sentence. She has also been on a hunger strike in a bid for gender reassignment surgery.
The army private formerly known as Bradley Manning, began receiving hormone treatment for gender reassignment while in prison in 2015. She changed her legal name in April 2014.
The 29-year-old former intelligence analyst was convicted in August 2013 of espionage and other offences for sending more than 700,000 classified documents to WikiLeaks while working in Iraq.
Fellow whistleblower Edward Snowden has tweeted an emotional plea to President Barack Obama, calling for Manning to be freed.
Presidents have two clemency options: commutations, which reduce sentences being served but don’t erase convictions, and pardons, which generally restore civil rights, such as voting, often after a sentence has been served.
Obama has granted 1,176 commutations and 148 pardons - fewer pardons than some presidents, but more commutations than any other, the White House said.