WNBA star Brittney Griner has been imprisoned in Russia multiple weeks, and now Russian authorities have stated they’re extending her imprisonment.
Earlier today, Russian news agency TASS reported that the Khimki City Court in the Moscow region ruled that Griner would be detained for at least two months.
“The court granted the petition of the investigation and extended the term of detention of U.S. citizen Griner until May 19,” said the court.
The news comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine rages on and on the heels of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s direct plea to the U.S. Congress for support on Wednesday.
This ruling also comes as Russia’s economy continues to tank amid severe financial sanctions and objections to Putin’s attack swell in Russia.
There is some news about Griner.
According to Ekaterina Kalugina, a member of human rights group Public Monitoring Commission who said she visited the Phoenix Mercury star in the detention center in Russia, Griner shares a cell with two others.
Kalugina said that while Griner hasn’t complained about the conditions, she’s not without problems either.
“The only objective problem was the height of the basketball player—203 centimeters,” said Kalugina as quoted to TASS. “The beds in the cell are clearly designed for a shorter person.”
Griner is 6 foot 9.
Kalugina added that she’s reading books such as F.M. Dostoevsky and a Rolling Stones biography.
Griner’s arrest was first learned by the public on March 5th, yet she was arrested in Russia on drug charges sometime in February.
She was detained at Sheremetyevo airport near Moscow, where they allegedly found vaping materials and cannabis oil (hash oil), which is a crime in Russia.
They charged Griner with drug possession and “large-scale transportation of drugs”, which is a serious offense. If convicted, Griner faces 5-10 years in prison.
But this, as we noted in an earlier story, could, and should, be viewed as much more than an arrest.
Griner’s detainment comes after America and other nations condemned and punished Putin for invading Ukraine. Her arrest now gives him a weapon to wield against the U.S. as Griner becomes a hostage to use as leverage against America.
In addition, Griner is a Black and gay woman, which not only expands the size of the target on her back but also goes against everything Putin’s Russia stands for.
This, sadly, makes her a pawn in the game of war.
The U.S. was quietly negotiating her release before Russia revealed that she had been arrested the month prior, which adds more weight to the belief that she’s being used against the United States.
We will continue to keep you updated on the situationn.
