Assange calls for Manning’s release, blasts Obama administration’s prosecution

LONDON – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says Bradley Manning’s sentence is a tactical victory because he could be released on parole before finishing the 35-year term ordered by a military judge.

However, Assange says “the only just outcome” is Manning’s unconditional release and compensation for his treatment in a military prison before his trial.

Assange issued a written statement Wednesday after Manning’s sentence was announced in Fort Meade, Md. Manning was found guilty last month of 20 crimes, including six violations of the Espionage Act, for sending a trove of classified documents to the anti-secrecy website.

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Assange blasted the administration of President Barack Obama, saying officials are demonstrating that there is no place “for people of conscience and principle.”