Brittney Griner pens handwritten letter to Biden

Muricas News  — 

WNBA star Brittney Griner, in a handwritten letter to President Joe Biden, mentioned she fears she will probably be detained in Russia indefinitely and pleaded with the President to not neglect about her and different American detainees.

“(As) I sit right here in a Russian jail, alone with my ideas and with out the safety of my spouse, household, pals, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I is likely to be right here eternally,” she wrote, in accordance with an announcement launched by the communications firm representing the Griner household.

Griner, 31, who has performed in Russia through the WNBA’s offseason, was arrested February 17 at a Moscow airport, per week earlier than Russia invaded Ukraine. Russian authorities claimed she had hashish oil in her baggage and accused her of smuggling vital quantities of a narcotic substance, an offense punishable by as much as 10 years in jail. She went on trial at a court docket close to Moscow on Friday on drug smuggling fees.

Griner’s supporters and US officers say she has been wrongfully detained and have referred to as for her launch as fears mount that she is getting used as a political pawn amid rising tensions between Russia and the US.

Griner’s letter to Biden, in accordance with the assertion from the communications firm, was delivered to the White Home on Monday morning. Three excerpts from the letter had been made public, whereas the remaining is being stored non-public, the assertion mentioned.

“On the 4th of July, our household usually honors the service of those that fought for our freedom, together with my father who's a Vietnam Battle Veteran. It hurts fascinated with how I normally rejoice today as a result of freedom means one thing fully completely different to me this 12 months,” Griner wrote to Biden.

“I notice you might be coping with a lot, however please don’t neglect about me and the opposite American Detainees. Please do all you possibly can to carry us house. I voted for the primary time in 2020 and I voted for you. I imagine in you. I nonetheless have a lot good to do with my freedom that you could assist restore. I miss my spouse! I miss my household! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they're struggling a lot proper now. I'm grateful for no matter you are able to do at this second to get me house.”

The White Home reiterated Monday that “the Russian Federation is wrongfully detaining Brittney Griner.”

“President Biden has been clear about the necessity to see all U.S. nationals who're held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas launched, together with Brittney Griner. The U.S. authorities continues to work aggressively – utilizing each accessible means – to carry her house,” Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson mentioned in an announcement to Muricas News.

“The President’s workforce is in common contact with Brittney’s household and we'll proceed to work to assist her household,” Watson mentioned, including that nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken “have spoken a number of occasions with Brittney’s spouse in current weeks and the White Home is intently coordinating with the Particular Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, who has met with Brittney’s household, her teammates, and her assist community.”

Griner’s spouse, Cherelle, advised Muricas News final week she needs US officers to do no matter they should do to carry the basketball legend house – and she or he must see them do extra.

In the one interview she gave on the eve of her spouse’s trial in Russia, Cherelle Griner sat within the Phoenix Mercury locker room and referred to as for extra motion.

“It’s actually, actually tough. This isn't a scenario the place the rhetoric is matching the motion,” she mentioned. “I do should sadly push individuals to make it possible for the issues they’re telling me can also be matching their actions, and so it’s been the toughest factor to stability as a result of I can’t let up. It’s over 130 days and BG’s nonetheless not again.”

The US Home of Representatives final month handed a bipartisan decision calling on the Russian authorities to instantly launch the WNBA star.

“Not a day goes by that we aren’t pondering of Brittney and dealing to get her house,” Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona, who sponsored the decision, mentioned in an announcement. “We'll proceed to push for her launch and make it possible for she will not be forgotten.”

Stanton beforehand served as mayor of Phoenix, the place Griner performs for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.

Stanton launched the decision in Could together with Democratic Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Colin Allred of Texas, Griner’s house state.

“I’m grateful for this overwhelming present of assist from Congress. We have to be doing all we are able to to maintain Brittney’s case on the forefront and at last put an finish to this nightmare,” Cherelle Griner mentioned in an announcement on the time.

Vanessa Nygaard, the first-year head coach for the Phoenix Mercury, reacted Monday to Griner’s letter throughout a information convention in Los Angeles forward of her workforce’s sport in opposition to the Sparks.

“It made me cry, you understand, simply listening to her phrases speaking about her father being a Vietnam vet, her new perspective on freedom, her desirous to be together with her household and her teammates, her not understanding if she’ll ever be free once more. On our day of freedom, listening to these phrases from such a beloved particular person … It’s nice, and it’s nice that she was capable of get that message to us and hopefully some persons are listening to it and, in fact, the Biden administration and our State Division placing that on the entrance of their messaging could be wonderful for us,” Nygaard mentioned.

The Mercury introduced final week that a particular public rally in assist of Griner will probably be held Wednesday on the Footprint Heart in Phoenix. The occasion is being hosted in coordination with Stanton’s workplace, and Cherelle Griner will probably be a featured speaker.

CORRECTION: An earlier model of this story misspelled the primary title of Brittney Griner.

This story has been up to date with further response.