Top basketball player Brittney Griner wrote to US President Joe Biden on Monday that he would do everything he could to get her released. The American has been held in a Russian cell since February for allegedly smuggling drugs. It is the first time that she has made herself heard in public.
“I realize you have a lot on your mind right now, but please don’t forget about me and the other inmates. Please do whatever it takes to get us home,” it said. ESPN in the letter from Griner, who was arrested in Moscow in mid-February for allegedly finding cannabis oil in her luggage.
The 31-year-old Griner plays for WNCA club Phoenix Mercury, but has been playing for the Russian UMMC Yekaterinburg for years outside the season. She was planning to travel back to the United States when she was arrested. Her trial started last Friday, but it seems unlikely that she will be released soon.
This is partly due to the further deteriorating relationship between the US and Russia due to the war in Ukraine. Legal experts and US officials believe Griner will be convicted no matter what. Russians reportedly want to exchange her for a Russian prisoner in the United States.
In the US, there has been a lot of attention for Brittney Griner, who has been in a Russian cell since February.
In the US, there has been a lot of attention for Brittney Griner, who has been in a Russian cell since February. Photo: Getty Images
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‘I miss my wife, family and teammates’
Griner could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale drug trafficking. Less than 1 percent of suspects are acquitted in Russian criminal cases. Moreover, unlike in the United States, for example, acquittals in Russia can be reversed.
More than a week ago, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution calling on the Russian government to immediately release Griner. There is also support for the US government to investigate attempts to get her back to the US.
With this letter, Griner hopes that she will not be forgotten in the US. “I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you,” Griner said to President Biden. “I believe in you. I can do so much good with my freedom, if I get it back.”
“I miss my wife, family and teammates. It pains me very much that they have to endure this. Sitting here in a Russian cell, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends and Olympic uniform, I am I’m terrified I might be stuck here for the rest of my life.”
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