Attorney for Assange: Commutation of Manning’s Sentence Doesn’t Meet Assange’s Offer to Be Extradited
Refusing to Honor Promise to Allow Himself to Be Extradited?
Last week, Wikileaks posted a statement to Twitter, saying its editor, Julian Assange, “will agree to US extradition” if “Obama grants Manning clemency.”
If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition despite clear unconstitutionality of DoJ case https://t.co/MZU30SlfGK
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) January 12, 2017
President Barack Obama on Tuesday did just that, and technically, more. “Clemency” is defined as “mercy” or “lenience.” President Obama commuted Chelsea Manning’s 35-year sentence, reducing it by 28 years. She will be released in May.
The Hill, in an email exchange with Assange’s attorney, reports he now says that’s just not good enough.
“Mr. Assange had called for Chelsea Manning to receive clemency and be released immediately,â€Â Barry Pollack, Assange’s U.S.-based attorney, says. He adds that President Obama’s commutation of Manning’s sentence “is well short of” what Assange sought.
Meanwhile, late Wednesday morning, Wikileaks seemed to offer an unclear and not very specific response possibly contradicting Assange’s attorney’s statement:
Assange is still happy to come to the US provided all his rights are guarenteed despite White House now saying Manning was not quid-quo-pro.
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) January 18, 2017
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Image by Ministerio de Cultura de la Nación Argentina via Flickr and a CC licenseÂ
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