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By: Marie Scarci | November 9, 2022
Hours after WNBA star Brittney Griner's attorney announced that she has been moved to a penal colony in Russia, President Joe Biden spoke on the matter and said he hopes that Vladimir Putin will be more willing to talk about her potential release.
“My hope is that now that the election is over, that Mr. Putin will be able to discuss with us and be willing to talk more seriously about a prisoner exchange,” the President said at a news conference.
The Biden administration, for months now, has been tirelessly trying to negotiate the release of Griner and fellow American Paul Whelan but has had little success in their efforts.
After her appeal was denied last month and her nine-year conviction began U.S. officials are now stepping up their efforts in an attempt to bring the WNBA star home.
Griner’s lawyers said she was moved from a Moscow detention center on November 4 to a penal colony. After the denial of her appeal, it was expected for her to be moved there but her attorneys were not notified until days after the transfer began.
Griner's attorneys also state that these types of transfers can take weeks and possibly months to complete and that her family will not know her whereabouts during that time.
Once she's reached the penal colony there will be a notification sent by official mail which could take up to several weeks to receive.
Russian penal colonies are harsher than Russian jails and are notorious for their lack of proper medical care, poor hygiene, and manual labor.
Griner's agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas had this to say "Our primary concern continues to be BG's health and well-being, 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."
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