The news for captive WNBA star Brittney Griner has gone from bad to worse after Russian authorities made a significant change regarding her sentence.
As the star player continues to hold out hope that the Biden administration can win her freedom, Russian officials have transferred her to a hard labor camp, reports said.
Her family and friends had hoped that they could win her release before being moved to the harsh conditions of a penal colony, but that didn’t happen.
According to Griner’s attorneys, the transfer began Friday and it is not clear to which penal colony she’s been sent.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: “Every minute that Brittney Griner must endure wrongful detention in Russia is a minute too long.
“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,” the spokeswoman continued.
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.
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) November 9, 2022
“In the subsequent weeks, despite a lack of good faith negotiation by the Russians, the U.S. Government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with the Russians through all available channels,” Jean-Pierre added.
“The U.S. Government is unwavering in its commitment to its work on behalf of Brittney and other Americans detained in Russia — including fellow wrongful detainee Paul Whelan,” she said.
In the subsequent weeks, despite a lack of good faith negotiation by the Russians, the U.S. Government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with the Russians through all available channels.
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) November 9, 2022
Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, added:
“Our primary concern continues to be BG’s health and well-being. As we work through this very difficult phase of not knowing exactly where BG is or how she is doing, we ask for the public’s support in continuing to write letters and express their love and care for her.”
“We are thankful for everyone’s support, and hope that as we near nine months of detention, that BG and all wrongfully detained Americans will be shown mercy and returned home to their families for the holiday,” Colas noted further.
