American basketball star Brittney Griner set to be back in Moscow court as her family and friends step up their calls for the U.S. government to do more to free her.
The Kremlin has been accused of using Griner as a political pawn while the Biden administration has said she has been “wrongfully detained.
Since her trial started, her family, friends and colleagues have increased their calls for the U.S. to do more to bring her home. Her team held a rally in her support in Phoenix on Wednesday while Rev. Al Sharpton urged Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday to arrange for him and a group of faith leaders to meet Griner in Russia.called Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, on Wednesday
to assure her that he is working to secure Griner’s release as soon as possible. He also read her a draft of the letter he was sending to Griner on Wednesday, according to the White House readout of the call.addressed to Biden earlier this week that she was terrified she could be in Russian jail forever, imploring the American president to do all he can to bring her home.” and transferred oversight of her case to the State Department Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.
There are also growing questions over whether Griner could be traded along with Paul Whelan, another American serving aOn Wednesday, Russian foreign ministry deputy spokesperson Alexey Zaitsev said Griner was arrested for “a serious offense, confirmed by indisputable evidence.” But he said she is free to file an appeal and to ask for clemency. As to the possible prisoner exchange, Zaitsev said the court would have to reach a verdict first, which he estimated could take at least a month.
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