After nearly ten months in Russian custody over alleged possession of vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage, and after being found guilty and sentenced to serve a 9-year jail term, WNBA star Brittney Griner was finally released by the Russian government on December 8, 2022.
AMP in the post
On the day of her release, the President of the United States of America Joe Biden excitedly issued a statement through the White House saying, “Good morning folks, and it is a good morning.”
“Moments ago, standing together with her wife Cherelle in the Oval Office, I spoke with Brittney Griner. She’s safe, she’s on a plane, she’s on her way home after months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances.”
Brittney Griner — Brittney Griner Is Back Home
On Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, at exactly 6.00 am, Brittney Griner landed on American soil, safe and sound. The plane that brought Brittney landed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas, and Brittney was photographed climbing down the stairs of the plane.
Roger Carsten a U.S. Special Presidential Envoy was the first to share the news in a tweet, “So happy to have Brittney back on U.S. soil. Welcome home BG!”
AMP in the post
Prior to Brittney’s release, President Joe Biden, and the United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken made a “substantial proposal” to the Russian government to have Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan who was also wrongfully detained by the Russian government since 2018, released in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Unlike Paul who was sentenced to 16 years in imprisonment over an espionage charge, and has served a total of 3 years, 11 months, and 12 days, Brittney was sentenced to nine years imprisonment and she only spent a total of 10 months in Russian custody.
The day Brittney was released to return to America, a senior administration official explained that it wasn’t intentional to bring back Brittney without Paul rather, the Russian government chose to make Paul’s case different than Brittney’s hence their refusal to let Paul go.
“We as a government have sought to bring Paul Whelan home as well. We did so in good faith with the Russians and proposed multiple different options. Regrettably, due to the nature of the sham espionage charges Russia levied against Paul, the Russians have treated, continue to treat, his situation differently from Brittney’s and rejected each and every one of our proposals for his release.”
The senior administration official said that all efforts made to bring back Paul failed. “This was not a situation where we had a choice of which American to bring home. It was a choice between bringing home one particular American, Brittney Griner, or bringing home none.”
AMP in the post
Brittney Griner — Cherelle Grinner’s Reaction To Brittney’s Return
Cherelle Griner who saw to it that her wife was returned to her by voicing out the situation of things after it was obvious to her that being silent wouldn’t bring back Brittney, said in a press conference, “Over the last nine months, you all have been so privy to one of the darkest moments of my life, and so today I am just standing here overwhelmed with emotions, but the most important emotion I have right now is just sincere gratitude for President Biden and his entire administration.”
Cherelle proceeded to appreciate everyone who lent their voices to ensure that Brittney got her freedom, Brittney’s fellow WNBA players, and the President of the United States of America Joe Biden.
Cherelle also acknowledged the fact that there are some other innocent Americans held hostage by the Russians, “Today my family is whole, but as you all are aware, there’s so many other families who aren’t whole.”
“B.G. is not here to say this, but I will gladly speak on her behalf to say B.G. and I will remain committed to the work of getting every American home, including Paul, whose family is in our hearts today as we celebrate B.G. being home.”
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