Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia prolonged by way of a minimum of July 2, Russian state information stories
Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February, when Russian authorities claimed she had hashish oil in her baggage and accused her of smuggling vital quantities of a narcotic substance, an offense punishable by as much as 10 years in jail. The 2-time Olympic gold medalist and star of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury performs in Russia throughout that league’s offseason.
“Our place for a while on this has been very clear: Brittney Griner shouldn’t be detained. She shouldn’t be detained for a single day longer,” State Division spokesperson Ned Value stated Tuesday.
The State Division discovered of the information by way of Russian state media stories, Value stated. The US final had consular entry to Griner final month, he informed reporters.
“Her detention is inhumane and unacceptable. She has not had a single telephone name in her 117 days of wrongful detention,” stated Lindsay Kagawa Colas, who referred to as on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to “act with urgency and do no matter it takes to convey Brittney residence instantly.”
Teammates ‘need her again residence’
“We’re on Day 116 since BG has been wrongfully detained,” Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard stated, including, “She’s our teammate, she’s an American and we wish her again residence.”
For star guard Diana Taurasi, the State Division’s announcement that Griner’s detention was wrongful signaled to the workforce that officers are taking the scenario critically, she stated Monday.
“It is one thing that we have all talked about intimately as a bunch, and now realizing the State Division on the highest degree — from US President Joe Biden to the workforce that’s engaged on bringing again all Individuals who’re wrongfully detained — provides us a whole lot of confidence that they are engaged on it,” Taurasi stated.
“Something that we will do on our facet to amplify and to place BG first will probably be our No. 1 precedence,” she stated.
Holding Russia accountable will “pressure Russia to finish this apply for all Individuals that they are holding there,” together with Griner and Paul Whelan, Reed informed CNN. Whelan, a US citizen and former Marine, was detained at a Moscow lodge in 2018 and arrested on espionage expenses, which he has denied.
CNN has reached out to the UN and Russia’s Everlasting Mission to the UN for touch upon Reed’s petition.
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report.
