Thursday, the world learned that Russia had transported WNBA star Brittney Griner to a penal colony in Mordovia. It was the first mention of any specifics about where the American prisoner would end up serving her nine-year sentence.
Unfortunately for Griner and her supporters, those who have experienced Russian penal colonies have shared many grim and horrifying details. Hardly the kind of conditions and treatment deserving of someone who was arrested over trace amounts of cannabis oil residue.
While a meeting was held between the U.S. and Russia on Monday, it’s unclear if it produced anything constructive around prisoners that the countries would like to negotiate for the release of, including Griner.
A State Department spokesperson was asked about the report of Griner’s location. Although they didn’t confirm the location, they did say they continue to work towards her release and hope that Russia will step up to the negotiation table.
“We are aware of reports of her location, and in frequent contact with Ms. Griner’s legal team,” a State Department spokesperson wrote in an email to DailyMail.com. “However, the Russian Federation has still failed to provide any official notification for such a move of a US citizen, which we strongly protest. The Embassy has continued to press for more information about her transfer and current location.”
U.S. President Joe Biden recently spoke on the situation, saying he is determined to free her from captivity amd return Griner home.
