Brittney Griner’s release was guaranteed by the Joe Biden-led US administration in December 2022. The WNBA player was arrested in Russia for ten months after being found in possession of marijuana-infused vape cartridges. The sporting world hadn’t often seen such a well-known athlete go through such a thing.
LeBron James and Stephen Curry were just a couple of the notable people who spoke up in support of Britney. It didn’t take long for the US to assert that Brittney was unlawfully jailed when she stated she was unaware that marijuana was prohibited in Russia.
Former armaments trader and Russian prisoner Viktor Bout was exchanged for Brittney by the Joe Biden administration. It took place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Americans weren’t happy about this and questioned the government’s choice because they thought ex-US marine Paul Whelan‘s release should have been achieved as well.
The Russian government accepted a $614,000 bail offer offered earlier this month by Evan’s legal team. According to BBC, both the offer and the offer to put Evan under home arrest were turned down. According to numerous accounts, he would remain in a former KGB prison until May 29.
Brittney has also promoted Evan’s release using her platform. She and her wife Cherelle wrote about Evan’s detention in an Instagram post.
Since Evan Gershkovitch was detained in Russia, Brittney and Cherelle wrote, “Our hearts are filled with great concern for Evan Gershkovitch and his family.” We must exert every effort to return him and all Americans to their homes. We are appreciative of President Biden’s administration’s steadfast dedication to saving Americans.
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The message further stated that every American who is stolen is ours to fight for, and every American who is returned is a victory for us all. The Griners are still working to spread the word in support of their release. In addition, during one of her recent news engagements, Brittney mentioned Evan and Paul Whelan.
The Griners appear to be prepared to put up a strong struggle to secure the release of Americans held abroad. However, whether their efforts ultimately pay off will only become clear with time.
