Bradley Manning to Face Court-Martial

Bradley Manning, the gay (or possibly transgender) soldier accused of providing classified government documents to WikiLeaks, will face a court-martial on charges that could lead to a sentence of life in prison.

The Army issued a statement Friday saying officials had approved the trial, as recommended by the officer who presided over a pre-trial hearing for Manning in December. A date will be set after a military judge is assigned to the case, ABC News reports.

Manning, 24, is accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of documents. He "faces 22 charges, including aiding the enemy, wrongfully causing intelligence to be published on the Internet knowing that it is accessible to the enemy, theft of public property or records, and transmitting defense information," ABC reports. Aiding the enemy is an offense that could be punished with the death penalty, but prosecutors say they will seek life imprisonment instead.

Many activists have objected to Manning's treatment during his incarceration before the hearing; he was for a time held in solitary confinement, with little access to reading materials, visitors, or any activity. While in the Army, he had reportedly been upset over the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and he had sought treatment for gender identity disorder.