Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has been transferred to a penal colony and her family and lawyers in Russia don't know where her location is. Based on how Russia's legal system has worked in the past, this was move was accelerated. According to ESPN's TJ Quinn, the penal colonies have harsher conditions than the Moscow prison she has detained in for 265 days.
Quinn's report states Griner's family might not know her whereabouts for weeks given the location is revealed via mail.
Lindsay Colas, Griner's agent, sent the following statement to ESPN last night.
“Our primary concern continues to be BG's health and well-being,” Kolas said. “As we work through this very difficult phase of not knowing exactly where BG is or how she is doing, we ask for the public's support in continuing to write letters and express their love and care for her.”
U.S. officials have long stated that Griner's drug sentence, where she received nine years in prison for bringing less than a gram of hashish oil into the country, is a political ploy by Russia as they try to stop the United States from giving resources to Ukraine during the Russian-Ukraine war. The political theater by Russia has been a point of frustration for U.S. officials trying to negotiate her release.
“In the subsequent weeks, despite a lack of good faith negotiation by the Russians, the U.S. Government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with the Russians through all available channels,” the White House said in a statement to ESPN this morning. “The U.S. Government is unwavering in its commitment to its work on behalf of Brittney and other Americans detained in Russia — including fellow wrongful detainee Paul Whelan.”
The last time anyone saw Griner was last Thursday when U.S. embassy officials visited her.
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