In a handwritten letter to President Joe Biden, WNBA star Brittney Griner said she fears she will be detained in Russia indefinitely and pleaded with the President not to forget about her and other American detainees. “As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” she wrote according to a statement released by the communications company representing the Griner family.
Elena Griner, a professional basketball player from the United States, was arrested in Moscow on 17 February 2014 on charges of drug smuggling. She has been accused of carrying cannabis oil in her luggage and of transporting a significant amount of a narcotic substance, an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison. A court near Moscow will begin her trial on Friday concerning these charges.
Griner wrote to Biden, as reported by the communication company, from the White House on Monday. Three excerpts of his letter were published, while another three were preserved for other use, the company said.
On July 4, Griner’s family celebrates the service of those who fought for our freedom, including her father, a Vietnam veteran. However, this year it hurts Griner to think about how she usually celebrates this day because freedom means something completely different to her this year. She wrote to Vice President Biden and asked him to do all he can to bring her home. Griner wrote that she will vote for Biden in 2020, and believes in him. She misses her wife and asks for his help to get her home so that she can continue her life doing good work with her freedoms.
United States President Joe Biden has stated his support for releasing all Americans trapped in conflict or wrongful detention.
“The White House is in regular contact with Brittney’s family and has been working to support her family,” said Watson, adding that national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have spoken several times with Brittney’s wife, Cherelle Griner, in recent weeks. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Robert O’Brien has met with Cherelle and members of her support network.
On the day of her spouse’s trial, Cherelle Griner requested more action in the Phoenix Mercury locker room than in anything else.
“It’s been the hardest thing to balance because I can’t let up,” she said. “It’s over 130 days and BG’s still not back.” The US House of Representatives last month passed a bipartisan resolution calling on the Russian government to immediately release the WNBA star, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, a team based in Arizona. “Not a day goes by that we aren’t thinking of Brittney and working to get her home,” Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona, who sponsored the resolution, said in a statement.
I’m grateful for this overwhelming show of support from Congress. We need to keep Brittney’s case in the spotlight and at last put an end to this situation,” Cherelle Griner said in a press statement at the time.
New Phoenix Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard reacted Monday to Griner’s letter during a news conference in Los Angeles ahead of her team’s game against the Sparks. “It made me cry, you know, just hearing her words talking about her father being a Vietnam vet and his service to our country,” Nygaard said. “Her new perspective on freedom and wanting to be with her family and her teammates resonated with me personally as well, having been an army brat growing up. And then also, not knowing if she’ll ever be free again—those words from such a beloved person … It’s great, and it’s great that she was able to get that message to us and hopefully some people are paying attention to it.”
The Mercury newspaper reported last week that a public rally in support of Griner will be held Wednesday at the Footprints Theater in Phoenix. The event will be co-hosted by former Representative Stanton, and Cherelle Griner will be a speaker.