After the news broke of Griner’s continued detention, some American basketball players began making plans to leave Russia. On Saturday, a W.N.B.A. spokeswoman confirmed that all of the team’s players had left Russia. Griner is a native of Houston and was a transformative talent in college at Baylor. She was named a three-time all-American.
The US government has called Griner’s detention in Russia illegitimate and says the star was wrongfully detained. The US and WMBA have been actively working to secure Griner’s release. Her case has been sent to the US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs for further action. The embassy of the US in Russia and other US state representatives have not yet responded to AP’s requests for comment.
While US basketball star is still in Moscow, her attorneys are trying to get her released. Russian authorities have reportedly said that they found “smoking weed” in Griner’s suitcase. A WNBA official says Griner was adamantly innocent and that the Russian government should release her as soon as possible. The State Department claims she was wrongfully detained and that she was not guilty of the crimes.
The US basketball star has been in Moscow since March 17. Her detention has been extended until May 19, and a semi-official report issued by the Public Monitoring Commission says that the court in Moscow has ruled against her request for house arrest. The US basketball star has complained about her cramped jail cell, but her oversized frame was too big for the cell. The two other women in her cell have no prior convictions and are being held for “drug-related articles.”
The United States has condemned Russia for detaining American citizens on false charges. However, a high-profile American could be a way for Russia to gain leverage in a standoff with Washington over the invasion of Ukraine. Despite the news about Griner’s detention, the US government says it is ready to provide consular services for American citizens held overseas. They have not disclosed the reason for the extension.
While the US government says she is a victim of political violence, Griner’s lawyer has said she is not a terrorist and is “a victim of sexism.” Despite her recent arrest and extended Russian detention, the WNBA center has been a spokesman for the team. She is now a seven-time All-Star and has been honored with two Olympic gold medals.
The US basketball star could be sentenced to 10 years in prison if convicted of the charges. The court has ordered the extension after Griner failed to appeal the legality of her arrest. Her agent, Calder Hynes, has declined to comment on Griner’s extended Russian detention. She has not yet been released from the prison and is expected to face a lengthy legal process in Russia.
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The US government’s latest move has led to an increase in diplomatic efforts by the State Department, but Griner’s case is now being handled by a new section of the State Department. The Office of Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs specializes in securing the release of wrongfully detained Americans abroad. It was led by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who secured the release of American journalist Richard Reed.