For full report see https://thenewyorkstarblog.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/gagawikileaks/ A day before the heroic US army whistleblower Chelsea Manning is due to be released from federal prison, WikiLeaks has released footage of Julian Assange discussing the Manning case with New York Pop Icon and progressive social activist Stefani Germanotta aka Lady Gaga.   The 12-minute video, recorded in October 2012 before Manning stood trial for leaking classified US documents, is the first in a seven-part series dubbed the ‘Gaga Leaks.’ The footage shows Lady Gaga filming Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London as she questions him about Manning’s detention. “You may be an enemy of the state but you’re not an enemy of humanity,” she tells him. Chelsea Manning formerly known as Bradley Manning a former US Army intelligence analyst was sentenced to 35 years in military prison in August 2013 for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks that illegal activity of the United States military. The prison sentence handed down in secret was one of the longest ever recorded in the US for such an offense. During Manning’s trial the prosecution presented a n extended discussion between Manning and an informer which stated that the former US military intelligence analyst used a Lady Gaga CD to transfer vast quantities of state secrets from the US military computers which was handed over to WikiLeaks. Manning is set to be released from military prison Wednesday after seven years of military incarceration following Barack Obama’s decision to grant her clemency as one of his final acts in Presidential office. In the video Assange is seen telling Lady Gaga that Manning’s is being subjected to “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” in order to coerce a confession against WikiLeaks and Julian Assange WikiLeaks co-founder and chief spokesman. He adds that Manning could face the death penalty for exposing illegal activity by the military with Lady gaga replying  “That’s pretty heavy, that’s pretty heavy stuff,”. Lady Gaga responds by asking: “Do you feel badly that [Manning] is in this situation?” Assange responds, “I feel that we have a duty to fight, to draw attention to his plight. If he has truly done what he has alleged to have then he is a hero, there is no doubt that he is a hero.” Lady Gaga continues to Assange: “Is he a gay soldier?” Do you think that his treatment has anything to do with that?” “They’ve tried to use that against him,” Assange replies, saying “they’re using that to diminish him as a human being.” Manning revealed after the conviction that she has gender dysphoria and identifies as a woman.

• published: 16 May 2017
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