Brittney Griner Released From Russian Prison in Swap for Arms Dealer Viktor Bout
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Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison on drug charges, is coming home for Christmas.
The two-time Olympic medalist was released on December 8 in a one-for-one prisoner swap for an international arms dealer, Viktor Bout, after long-term negotiations between the United States and the Kremlin over the last few months to ensure her freedom, CBS News reports.
"She's safe. She's on a plane," President Joe Biden said at the White House.
Getty Images / Michael Hickey Brittney Griner at basketball game
"She's on her way home, after months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances. Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones and she should have been there all along. This is a day we've worked toward for a long time. We never stopped pushing for her release," he continued.
The WNBA star, who was originally arrested in February 2022, was sentenced to nine years in a penal colony, in addition to paying one million Russian Rubles, as stated by Judge Anna Sotnikova on August 5.
Biden dismissed the "show trial in Russia" and remarked that Griner never asked for any special treatment, simply asking that they not forget about her and the other American prisoners who had been wrongfully detained in Russia.
Getty Images / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV Brittney Griner in Russian court
Retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who has been in Russian custody for nearly four years was convicted on espionage charges the U.S. has claimed as false.
"We've not forgotten about Paul Whelan," Biden remarked. Adding that, "we will never give up on securing his release."
According to CBS, U.S. officials have stated that the country had "a choice between bringing home one particular American—Brittney Griner—or bringing home none."
Getty Images / Chip Somodevilla Cherelle Griner, wife of Brittney Griner, with President Joe Biden
This year, the Biden administration has successfully negotiated two prisoner swaps with Russia. In April, they traded Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian smuggler who was convicted of conspiring to import cocaine for former U.S. marine Trevor Reed.
"The most important emotion that I have right now is just sincere gratitude for President Biden and his entire administration. He just mentioned this work is not easy, and it has not been," said Cherelle Griner, Brittney's wife.
"Today my family is whole, but as you all are aware, there's so many other families who are not whole. [Brittney] is not here to say this but I will gladly speak on her behalf and say that BG and I will remain committed to the work of getting every American home, including Paul, whose family is in our hearts today," she adds.
