According to Brittney Griner’s legal professionals, the Phoenix Mercury star has been moved to a Russian penal colony, a transfer that was began on Friday.
Heartbreaking replace from @mitchellreports: Brittney Griner was moved to a Russian penal colony on November 4. This is one thing her household has mentioned prior to now they had been fearing. Russia’s penal colonies are notoriously harsh with very poor meals and horrible circumstances.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) November 9, 2022
Griner was detained at a Russian airport on February 17 after she was accused of getting a vape cartridge that contained cannabis oil. Griner pleaded responsible to drug expenses in July. Griner was discovered responsible in a Moscow-area courtroom and sentenced to 9 years on August 4.
For many causes, that is horrible information for Griner and her household. First, her household or lawyer has no thought the place she is being moved to as Russian authorities haven’t offered that info to them. Secondly, Russian penal colonies are recognized to have worse circumstances than Moscow jails.
It’s no shock that her household reportedly feared this would possibly occur. However, what continues to make this case uncommon is that the transfer appears to be manner forward of schedule. Griner’s lawyer said that transfers sometimes take weeks or months after Griner’s enchantment was denied on October twenty fifth.
US officers are additionally at nighttime as they’d no thought Griner was being moved till Tuesday. Here is a press release from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean- Pierre.
“Every minute that Brittney Griner must endure wrongful detention in Russia is a minute too long,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned in a press release early Wednesday morning. “As the Administration continues to work tirelessly to secure her release, the President has directed the Administration to prevail on her Russian captors to improve her treatment and the conditions she may be forced to endure in a penal colony.”
Griner’s agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas additionally launched a press release concerning the newest injustice involving Brittney Griner.
”Our main concern continues to be BG’s well being and well-being. As we work by way of this very tough section of not realizing precisely the place BG is or how she is doing, we ask for the general public’s help in persevering with to write down letters and categorical their love and take care of her.”
US officers have mentioned they made “critical” makes an attempt at bringing Griner residence however haven’t obtained any authentic counter-offers from the Russian authorities. From the beginning, this case appeared to be greater than your typical drug conviction. From the unusually harsh sentence to the short switch of Griner to a Russian penal colony, it appears Russia is making an instance out of Griner.
The finest we are able to do is proceed to speak about this case and Griner’s illegal detainment till she is introduced residence and reunited along with her household and family members.
UPDATED (Nov 9, 2022): The article is up to date so as to add the next assertion from the Women’s National Basketball Player Association: