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Brittney Griner hand wrote a letter to President Biden, which was sent to the White Dwelling on the 4th of July. The WNBA celebrity told the president that she fears she’ll be detained in Russia indefinitely and pleaded for him not to fail to remember about her and other Us citizens detained in Russian.
Griner faces a 10-year sentence in a Russian penal colony if convicted of the alleged crime of getting cannabis oil in her suitcase when she was detained in Moscow on February 17, a week before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Photograph by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
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3 excerpts of Griner’s letter to Biden were designed general public, whilst the rest is currently being stored personal, in accordance to a statement launched by a communications enterprise representing the Griner household and claimed by CNN.
“(As) I sit below in a Russian jail, by itself with my views and without the protection of my wife, family, close friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I may well be listed here for good,” wrote Griner.
“On the 4th of July, our household typically honors the support of these who fought for our independence, which include my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran. It hurts imagining about how I generally rejoice this day due to the fact flexibility implies some thing absolutely different to me this year.
“I comprehend you are working with so a lot, but please don’t ignore about me and the other American Detainees. Please do all you can to deliver us property. I voted for the initial time in 2020 and I voted for you. I consider in you. I continue to have so much superior to do with my liberty that you can assistance restore. I miss my wife! I overlook my loved ones! I miss out on my teammates! It kills me to know they are struggling so substantially correct now. I am grateful for whichever you can do at this minute to get me house.”
Griner has been taking part in basketball in Russia for the previous 7 many years during the WNBA off-time and is a lot beloved in the country.
Political Pawn?
Terri Jackson, govt director of the union representing WNBA gamers, implied to NPR several times ago that Russia is playing politics with Griner.
Picture by Chris Coduto/Getty Images
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“They know who they have. She’s a hero in their state as well. I necessarily mean, they really like women’s basketball,” Jackson explained. “They consider their championships extremely severely. And let’s be very clear: she’s presented them far more than a handful of.”
Griner’s trial began this previous Friday and will go on on July 7.
This posting initially appeared on Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.