Reports: Trans whistleblower Chelsea Manning rushed to hospital after suicide attempt
Military whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been rushed to hospital after apparently trying to take her own life, according to initial media reports.
Private Manning, who announced her transition to female in 2013, is currently imprisoned in Fort Leavenworth military prison after leaking details of classified government documents concerning alleged war crimes and rights abuses via WikiLeaks.
Manning has sued the US Army for her right to transition behind bars, and has also taken action against her “unjust” 35-year prison sentence – on the basis that her actions helped make public a large number of serious issues related to military practise.
But the whistleblower reportedly attempted to take her own life inside the prison, and was taken to hospital on Tuesday morning.
A CNN journalist reported: “Chelsea Manning suspected of attempting suicide. Was taken to a hospital Tuesday from Fort Leavenworth.”
The news is yet to be independently confirmed.
Her appeal against her conviction, filed just last month, alleges that the 35-year sentence was “perhaps the most unjust sentence in the history of the military justice system” given the nature of her offence, which helped bring to light a number of serious abuses and powers.
It states: “No whistleblower in American history has been sentenced this harshly… Manning disclosed the materials because under the circumstances she thought it was the right thing to do.”
“She believed the public had a right to know about the toll of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the loss of life, and the extent to which the government sought to hide embarrassing information of its wrongdoing.”
The appeal also contends that the Espionage Act that Manning is charged under is unconstitutional.
It states: “The government will argue the [Espionage] Act concerns national security, an important issue to be sure.
“But the military’s national security interests should not trump two of our Constitution’s most cherished rights, the right to due process and the right of free speech.”
The American Civil Liberties Union also filed a brief supporting Manning.
PinkNews has regularly reported on Manning, who previously had her access to PinkNews clippings restricted.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation warned that clippings of news coverage sent to Manning via the prison postal service, including a PinkNews report, had been seized by prison authorities.
