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.”

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,” 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:

 

Image by Ministerio de Cultura de la Nación Argentina via Flickr and a CC license