Supporters protest WikiLeaks mole charges after suicide attempt

Washington: Supporters of imprisoned transgender intelligence leaker Chelsea Manning delivered a petition Wednesday calling on the Army not to punish her for attempting suicide.

Manning could be charged with "administrative offenses" that could see her face indefinite solitary confinement following a suicide attempt last month.

Supporters said they had gathered a petition with more than 115,000 signatures and given it to Army Secretary Eric Fanning, calling on him to drop the charges.

Daniel Ellsberg, who gained notoriety in the 1970s when he leaked secret documents from the Pentagon, is among Manning`s supporters.

"No harm has resulted from Chelsea Manning`s disclosures. Not giving her the proper medical treatment and then adding on these charges for her suicide attempt would seem designed to break her down as a human being," he said in a statement.

"These charges appear to me to be sadistic and outrageous."

Originally called Bradley, Manning was convicted in August 2013 of espionage and other offenses after admitting to handing classified documents to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks.

After sentencing, Manning announced she identified as female and later obtained legal authorization to change her name and receive hormone therapy.

She remains, however, in a men`s military prison in Kansas, where she is appealing a 35-year sentence.