USA has concluded that WNBA star Brittney Griner is being unlawfully held in Russia, which means the United States will fight more actively to seek her release even as the legal case against her continues, according to two senior US officials. Russian officials said that a check of Griner’s belongings discovered vape cartridges containing traces of cannabis oil, which led to her detention at a Moscow airport in February.
Since then, US officials have refrained from declaring the Phoenix Mercury player to have been illegally imprisoned, instead stating that their primary concern is ensuring that she has access to American consular affairs officers while held in a US prison. US officials have delegated oversight of her case to a State Department division tasked with negotiating the release of hostages and other Americans who have been unfairly held, according to US sources. Read More
U.S. citizen Brittney Griner
“The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is among the highest priorities of the U.S government,” the State Department said. “The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner.
“The U.S. government will continue to undertake efforts to provide appropriate support to Ms. Griner.”
“We feel really good about it,” a source close to Griner told ESPN. “But we also know it can drag out, so we don’t want to get our hopes too high.”
Despite the fact that President Joe Biden’s administration had been under intense pressure from members of Congress and others to make Griner’s release a priority, it remained unclear what had motivated the change.
She has been held in Russian prison since February, when she was apprehended at a Moscow airport on her way to play for the Phoenix Mercury. Griner is a seven-time WNBA all-star with the Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Russian officials believe that she unlawfully imported vape cartridges containing hashish oil into the country, a felony that may result in a jail sentence of up to ten years if found responsible. She has not been prosecuted in any way, but she is set to appear in court on May 19 for another hearing.