Bringing Brittney Griner home must be top priority

WNBA player Brittney Griner should be going into the long July 4 weekend with a game against the Chicago Sky on Saturday. But the 31-yearold center for the Phoenix Mercury is instead set to stand trial July 1 on drug charges before a Russian court.

It should never have come to this.

Griner plays for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian Premier League during the WNBA offseason, and was detained after Russian authorities said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges with cannabis oil at the Sheremetyevo airport in February.

As the Associated Press reported, the Biden administration determined in early May that Griner was being wrongfully detained, moving her case under the supervision of the State Department’s Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, which is essentially the government’s chief hostage negotiator.

The New York Times noted that Russia has been accused of leveraging “trumped-up charges” against Americans in recent years. The State Department surely knows this. And Russia has long been slammed for its homophobic policies, adding to the urgency in getting the openly gay Griner out of the country.

But as officials talked and Russia ramped up its war against Ukraine, Griner has been languishing in jail. Her detention has been extended by six months pending the outcome of her trial, her lawyer told CNN Monday.

Griner’s wife Cherelle spoke with the Rev. Al Sharpton on his radio show, “Keepin’ It Real,” Wednesday, saying that public pressure can play a key role in securing her freedom.

“Brittney matters,” she said. “We’re never going to shut up about this until she’s back.”

Griner’s team members have spoken out and advocated for her, and met with State Department officials to discuss Griner’s release.

Cherelle Griner said her wife is struggling “every second that goes by” and is terrified and alone. She also said she has not spoken to her since she was first incarcerated in February and gets updates through letters.

As The Hill reported, Griner’s detention has been repeatedly extended. She could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, and less than 1% of defendants in criminal cases in Russia are acquitted, AP reported.

Cherelle Griner said federal officials have told her that securing her wife’s release is a priority and the matter is at the “highest chain of command.”

“What I’m getting is that the people that need to know are aware, but they haven’t executed and so I need them to execute this,” she said.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that Brittney Griner’s case has “the fullest attention” of President Biden and officials will not rest until she is returned home.

We’ll believe that when we see it.

Cherelle Griner said she doesn’t know how negotiations are going or if a deal is being worked out. She said officials seem to not be able to share information because of confidentiality.

Russia’s Tass news agency reported in May that Russian entrepreneur Viktor Bout, sentenced in the U.S. for arms sales may be traded for Griner.

At a May press briefing, a U.S. State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the possible swap, saying, “I’m not going to get into — I’m not going to entertain that.”

The need to bring Griner home is paramount as her trial begins Friday.

Cherelle Griner summed it up succinctly: “Stop talking about it. Stop all of the above. It just needs to be done.”