Brittney Griner PLEADS with Biden to bring her home as she fears she might be in Russian prison 'FOREVER'
Brittney Griner, who was held at a Moscow airport this year on February 17 when a search found multiple cannabis oil vape cartridges in her luggage, has made an appeal to President Joe Biden in a letter passed to the White House via her representatives. The letter read, “Please don't forget about me and the other American Detainees. Please do all you can to bring us home.”
Acoording to Associated Press, Griner's agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas said the letter was delivered on Monday, July 4. Most of the letter's content remains private, but the representatives shared a few lines from it. The hand-written letter read, "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. On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran. It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year."
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Griner, who plays for Phoenix Mercury in the US Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), further wrote, "I realize you are dealing with so much, but please don't forget about me and the other American Detainees. Please do all you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore. I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home."
Not a hostage but being prosecuted
Her wife Cherelle Griner told CNN that the WNBA star, who is 6-foot-9, is kept in a "very, very, very tiny cage," with her long legs bent at the knee, during every five-hour trip to court. As reported by Insider, Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on June 21 that the player was not being held "hostage," but offered no timeline on her potential release. "She violated Russian law, and now she's being prosecuted," he told NBC News and added, "It's not about being a hostage. There are lots of American citizens here. They're enjoying their freedoms … but you have to obey the laws."
Earlier on May 3, US officials categorized the basketball player as "wrongly detained," meaning that the US government will proceed to negotiate her release and return. The 31-year-old Griner went on trial on July 1 and could face up to 10 years in a Russian jail. The judge has scheduled the next hearing for July 7.