American basketball player Brittney Griner was transferred from a Moscow-area prison to a penal colony in Russia, raising concerns about her safety and well-being.
Brittney Griner Photo: EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA
The forced labor camp was part of the nine-year sentence she received in August for drug possession. Griner has been in the Russian prison system for more than eight months.
"We stand with Brittney Griner and will continue to call on all Americans and the global sports community to do the same with even more vigilance," the WNBPA said in a statement. "We are crushed that this scary, seemingly never-ending nightmare continues. The lack of clarity and transparency in the process compounds the pain."
Attorneys for Griner lost an appeal to have the sentence altered or reduced last month. They said today that Griner's location is not being disclosed given the outcry from media and the geopolitical tension around the case.
Typically the United States embassy is informed by mail of an international prisoner's location, but Griner's attorneys said they might not know where she is for at least two weeks.
The 32-year-old WNBA star was detained in February entering the country from the United States to join her pro team in Russia. Multiple WNBA players spend time in Russian leagues because it's more lucrative.
Authorities in Russia said they found two vape cartridges containing a small amount of hashish oil in a search of Griner's luggage at the airport.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday in a statement the U.S. is "unwavering" in attempts to free Griner and other detained Americans.
She added that President Joe Biden has ordered his administration to swiftly "prevail on her Russian captors to improve her treatment and the conditions she may be forced to endure in a penal colony."
-Reuters