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Chelsea Manning jailed after refusing to testify about WikiLeaks

Chelsea Manning jailed after refusing to testify about WikiLeaks

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Chelsea Manning Makes Her First Public Appearance In The UK
Photo by Jack Taylor / Getty Images

Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst who shared military and diplomatic secrets with WikiLeaks in 2010, has been taken into custody today for refusing to testify before a grand jury, according to The Washington Post.

Manning was subpoenaed to present information on WikiLeaks as part of an ongoing investigation in the Eastern District of Virginia. Manning refused to testify, citing her constitutional right to remain silent.

On Thursday, Manning released a statement on Twitter, acknowledging that she might be ordered to jail. “In solidarity with many activists facing the odds, I will stand by my principles,” Manning said. “I will exhaust every legal remedy available. My legal team continues to challenge the secrecy of these proceedings, and I am prepared to face the consequences of my refusal.”

Manning served seven years in prison before

On Friday morning, a federal judge found her in contempt of court until she apologized and complied or until “the end of the life of the grand jury.”

Manning came to public prominence after the unauthorized disclosure of Afghanistan and Iraq war military logs were obtained while she was serving as an analyst. After being publicly revealed as the source of the leaks, Manning was imprisoned from 2010 to 2017 until President Obama commuted her 35-year sentence. She was released from prison in May 2017.

In November, it was revealed that the Justice Department was preparing secret charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Assange’s name had been mistakenly included in an unrelated court filing.