Brittney Greener appealed to President Joe Biden in a letter delivered to the White House through her representatives, saying she fears she may never return home and asking him not to “forget about me and other Americans detained”.
Griner’s agent, Lindsey Kagawa Colas, said the letter was delivered Monday. Most of the contents of the letter to President Biden remain private, although Greener’s representatives have shared a few lines of the handwritten note.
“Sitting here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey or any achievements, I am terrified that I could be here forever,” Griner wrote.
“On the 4th of July, our family usually honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father, who is a Vietnam War veteran,” the Phoenix Mercury center added. “It hurts to think about how I usually celebrate this day, because freedom means something completely different to me this year.”
The two-time Olympic gold medalist is in the midst of a legal trial in Russia that began last week after she was arrested on February 17 on charges of possessing cannabis oil while returning to play for her Russian team. The case will resume on Thursday.
Less than 1% of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, and unlike in American courts, acquittals can be overturned.
WATCH l Brittney Griner’s trial begins:
American basketball star Britney Greener appeared in a Russian court
US women’s basketball star Brittney Greener appeared in a Russian court on Friday to face cannabis possession charges. If convicted, she could face up to 10 years behind bars. The US Embassy’s deputy chief of mission supported Greener in court, saying the Russian Federation wrongfully detained the WNBA player.
The White House National Security Council confirmed that the White House received Griner’s letter.
“We believe that the Russian Federation is wrongfully detaining Brittney Greener,” NSC spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said Monday. “President Biden has been clear about the need for all American citizens who are being held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad to be released, including Brittney Greener. The US government continues to work aggressively – using all available means – to bring her home.”
Griner asks Biden in the letter to use his powers to secure her return.
“Please do everything in your power to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore,” Griner said. “I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for anything you can do at this time to bring me home.”
Griner manages to have sporadic communications with family, friends and WNBA players through an email account set up by her agent. The emails were printed and delivered to Griner’s groups by her lawyer after they were vetted by Russian officials. Once the lawyers are back in their office, they will scan all of Griner’s responses and hand them back to the US for mailing.
She was supposed to have a phone conversation with her wife on their anniversary, but it fell through because of an “unfortunate error,” Biden administration officials said.
Griner’s supporters have encouraged prisoner swaps like the one in April that brought home Marine Corps veteran Trevor Reed in exchange for a Russian pilot convicted of a drug-trafficking conspiracy. In May, the State Department ruled she was wrongfully detained, moving her case under the supervision of its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, effectively the government’s chief hostage negotiator.
Griner is not the only American wrongfully detained in Russia. Paul Whelan, a former Marine and director of security, is serving a 16-year sentence for espionage.
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