US Again Jails Chelsea Manning for Refusing to Testify on WikiLeaks

(ANTIWAR.COM) — Released only last week after 62 days in detention for “contempt” from a previous grand jury for refusing to testify about WikiLeaks, whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been jailed by a new grand jury for the exact same reason.

Manning has refused to testify against WikiLeaks, and her lawyers argued that the law doesn’t allow detention to continue if she’s not going to be coerced into testifying. The court never ruled on this, but released her when the first grand jury expired, then re-jailed her under the second grand jury.

US District Judge Anthony Trenga seems to be hoping to bankrupt Manning as well in this new case, saying he will fine her $500 a day for every day she is held over 30, and $1,000 a day for every day held after 60.

Manning was already imprisoned by the US military for her whistleblowing activities, but her sentence was commuted by President Obama in 2017. The grand juries are aimed primarily at digging up things to charge WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with. Manning confirmed earlier in the day she was aware she might be facing jail again, but insisted it would not change her stand.