Brtiney Griner was recently transferred from jail to a Russian penal colony after losing an appeal for her release in October. Depite their best efforts US negotiators have not been able to convince the Russians to let her go. The Phoenix Mercury star, 32, is serving a 9-year sentence on drug smuggling charges and have been detained since Febuary. Her attorneys have visited her i the city iof Mondrovia and sy she is trying to stay strong.
Statement from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
“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”
“As we have said before, the U.S. Government made a significant offer to the Russians to resolve the current unacceptable and wrongful detentions of American citizens. 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. 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.”
White House Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also released a statement demanding Griner's released. That was also ignored.
There is no end in sight with negotiations at a standstill.
Speaking to reporters on Nov. 9 at the White House, Biden said that he will not give up on trying to bring Griner back, adding that now that the mid-term elections are over in the U.S., perhaps Russia will priorotize negotiations. All requests thus far have been ignored and the Russian government has made it cler that freeing the 8-time is not their priority.
USA Today reported that Pres. Vladmir Putin aide Yury Ushakov said while appearing on the Russian state news program Moscow.Kremlin.Putin, that the Griner detainment is not an important issue to their government.