Brittney Griner’s wife is asking for Brittney’s release from Russia jail. She was detained at Moscow Airport for having an alleged vape pen that contained hash oil.
Cherelle Griner shared this sentiment on Instagram last Saturday. ‘I am aware that many have come to love BG through the years. I have questions and would like more details. As we work to bring my wife home safe, please respect our privacy.
Cherelle also thanked the two-time Olympic gold medal winner and seven time WNBA All-Star’s fans for their encouragement, saying: ‘Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated.’
Griner, 31 years old, was stopped while she flew to Moscow for the WNBA Offseason. There hasn’t been a confirmed date. Griner’s last communication came on February 5, when she uploaded a picture to Instagram showing her with her Phoenix Mercury teammates.
Russia could use Griner to leverage her conviction on drug smuggling charges. Griner faces up 10 years imprisonment.
Yahoo Sports reported that Evelyn Farkas was a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia and Ukraine. It could also be called a prisoner exchange. You could even use it to threaten or blackmail you into agreeing to something. They find it valuable in any way.
Texas Sheila Jackson Lee (Congresswoman) who is Griner’s Houston representative said Saturday during a press conference, that she spoke with the State Department to try and get Griner the WNBA star.
Lee explained that while we are well aware of the issues surrounding vape cartridges, and other items in general, Lee was very specific. ‘Brittney Griner is a United States citizen, she was a guest in Russia…and I will be demanding her release.’
‘I don’t want to disregard a sovereign nation, but Putin has disregarded sovereign nations his entire service in this world and anyone that is killing and attacking and destroying Ukraine, their neighboring country – that does not bother them has no right to hold Ms. Griner. Lee stated that she agreed. ‘If there is challenges and concerns about her actions, it should be dealt with diplomatically and she should be released.’
Griner’s safety was cited by the Congresswoman, noting that Russian prison is “no place” for Griner, especially in a wartime. Griner is being held in Russia, where President Vladimir Putin enforces strict anti-gay laws. This worries her.
‘I believe that at this time, in the midst of war, how dangerous being Moscow, how dangerous it is to be in Moscow prisons … it is no place for her,’ Lee added. ‘I would call upon Russia at this time to really stop harassing U.S. citizens, but more importantly to release those that are there and to not claim any upper hand or any sense of character in the pillage of murder and terroristic actions against the Ukrainians.’
Please allow Ms. Griner safe passage. Allow her legal representation to handle her matters and ask the United States to take a special attention to all of those detained in Russia at this time.’
In a statement to DailyMail.com on Saturday, Griner’s agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas did not dispute reports of her client’s detention.
Colas stated that she was aware of Brittney Griner’s situation in Russia. She said they were in constant contact with Brittney, her Russian legal representative, her family and her teams as well as the WNBA, NBA and WNBA. “As her legal case is ongoing, we can’t comment more on it, but I can confirm that our primary concern remains her mental health and her physical wellbeing as we attempt to return her to her family.
Cherelle Griner (right), Griner’s spouse, thanked everyone for prayers in what she called the “weakest” moment of her life.
Griner is pictured wearing black after her bag was seized by a sniffer dog in February.
Griner was photographed putting her bag through the scanner when she was approached and scanned by a sniffer-dog.
Griner visited Russia to compete in the EuroLeague for women. Griner is a veteran of the EuroLeague since 2016. She helped win four titles with the team.
Griner sent her last message on February 5. She posted an Instagram photo of Griner and her Phoenix Mercury teammates.
Griner is being held in Russia, where Vladimir Putin has passed strict anti-gay laws. Many worry about Griner’s safety.
Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, a Texas Congresswoman said Saturday that her conversations with the State Department have been fruitful in obtaining the WNBA’s star player released.
Joaquin Castro, a Texas congressman said that he will monitor the situation. He also stated that Griner should be safely returned.
Griner is also being called for release by other prominent Texas politicians. Joaquin Castro of Texas said he’d monitor the situation, and that Griner had to be safe returned.
‘I’m closely monitoring reports of Texan Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia. This follows a pattern of Russia wrongly detaining & imprisoning US citizens, including Trevor Reed. The US is not a political pawn. Brittney and Trevor must be safe returned to America,’ he wrote on Saturday.
Griner flew from New York to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport, where drug-sniffing dogs were drawn to her luggage, according to InterFax Russian news agency. Her flight date has not yet been disclosed.
Once the dog had identified the bag, the customs agent applied ‘fluoroscopic equipment to scan it and found the cartridges.
Telegram shared video of Griner being apprehended. Griner was walking through the airport when Griner saw a dog approach her. As she watched, cops put her possessions through scanners and then sealed them in plastic evidence envelopes.
The Russian customs agency stated that a customs inspector found a handbag containing a substance with an unusual smell. A specialist determined the liquid to be a drug-related cannabis oil (hash), and confirmed it was present during the inspection.
Griner flew to Russia in order to represent UMMC Yekaterinburg at the EuroLeague women’s division. Griner has been playing since 2016, and the team won four titles.
CBS News reported that she last played at UMMC Ekaterinburg in January before taking a two week break to qualify for the FIBA World Cup qualifiers tournaments.
Griner and many others take out jobs abroad to supplement their WNBA salary.
While playing for the Russian national team, she earned more than $1million per season.
Russia could not have been more timely as Russia is economically and politically cut off from the rest after its invasion of Ukraine.
As part of economic sanctions President Joe Biden imposed on the Slavic nation, for its attack on the neighboring country, air travel between Russia and the U.S. was halted.
The Biden administration urged Americans to leave Ukraine on February 11th, six days after Griner posted his last Instagram message. It warned that invasions could occur at any moment and asked them not to delay. Griner might have been arrested by now.
Many American professional basketball players competing in Russia during the WNBA offseason found themselves scrambling to find airline tickets to the United States following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine over safety concerns.
According to the Washington Post, players who fled were WNBA stars Breanna Steward, Courtney Vandersloot and Jonquel Jones as well as Natasha Howard, Natasha Howard, Arike Ogunbowale and Natasha Howard.
A State Department advisory was issued on Saturday not to travel in Russia because of possible Russian government security personnel harassing American citizens.
Officials stated that U.S. citizens must leave Russia as soon as possible and that there was a limited capacity for the Embassy to help them. citizens.’
Brittney’s spouse Cherelle Griner said to her fans, “Thank you everyone who reached out to me concerning my wife’s safe returning from Russia,” (couple pictured together).
Griner received an order to support her twin girls, Ava Simone (pictured), after Johnson’s divorce was completed in 2016.
Griner, her wife Glory Johnson (pictured), were placed on suspension for seven games in 2015 after she was arrested and charged as domestic violence.
The WNBA stated that USA Basketball was aware and monitoring closely the situation Brittney Griner is facing in Russia. ‘Brittney was exemplary in her professional conduct throughout her time with USA Basketball. Her safety and well-being are our main concerns.
Griner is an openly homosexual man and many are concerned that he will be held in Russia, which is known for being anti LGBTQ+.
“A Russian black queer woman was held for nearly a month in Russia. Raquel Willis (activist and writer) tweeted, “This is frightening as hell.” ‘It’s unfortunate that Brittney Griner has become a major pawn in world leaders’ quest for domination.’
‘It taking three weeks for Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia to hit the news here is absurd and horrifying in a way that’s difficult to comprehend,’ echoed activist and former Human Rights Campaign press secretary Charlotte Clymer. Russia has the anti-LGBTQ legislation among all major nations. It cannot be overstated the danger she’s in right now.’
She added: ‘Look, there’s no way a world famous American athlete who’s not a black queer woman is held in detention by a hostile country—on the verge of war—and it’s not leaked to the press earlier than this. This is a case of homophobia, sexism and racism. The whole situation is a disaster.
Adrienne Lawrence commented on the situation via Twitter. She said that she was afraid Putin created the chaos with Griner. Now, she is stoking the emotions to control our emotions, and put the Biden Administration into a tough position, which further divides the nation.
Lawrence expressed concern about Lawrence’s safety due to Griner’s sexuality, race, and gender. Her behavior is exactly what these white supremacist, conservative and white-orthodox warmongers love. For her and her close friends, this is extremely scary.
Griner is an openly homosexual man. Russia is known for being anti LGBTQ+.
The Phoenix Mercury reported that Griner had been arrested and taken into prison Russia makes it illegal to possess cannabis. A fine of up six grams or 15 days imprisonment can be imposed on anyone caught possessing cannabis. Larger amounts of marijuana can bring about a harsher sentence.
Griner did not have any information about the amount of drug she had.
Interfax reports that she was accused of’smuggling drugs in large quantities’. This crime carries a five- to ten year sentence.
Griner, an athlete well known for her quick elbows, led Baylor University, Waco, Texas to a 2013 national championship. Griner was then drafted as the Phoenix Mercury’s first overall pick later in the year.
Her average point per game was more than 15 in 2014 when her team won the WNBA Championship.
Six-foot nine-inch centre was part of the gold-medal-winning U.S. Women’s basketball team in Brazil in 2016. She also won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
Griner, then with Glory Johnson as her wife, was suspended from seven sports after she and Griner were charged with domestic violence.
Griner, who pleaded guilty in disorderly conduct, agreed to six-months of counseling on domestic violence prevention.
In June 2015 after Johnson revealed she was pregnant with twins following an IVF treatments, Griner filed for an annulment from Johnson after less than a month of marriage.
Griner says Johnson married her under pressure, but Johnson denied being involved in the child’s birth.
The couple’s divorce was completed in the following year. Griner was required to support their twin girls, Ava Simone (Solei Diem)