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Brittney Griner Moved To Russian Penal Colony; Location Unknown Even To Lawyers And Family Members

Two weeks ago, Brittney Griner’s 9-year sentence was uphold in a Russian appeal court, leaving Griner fully depended on the outcome of talks between the United States and Russia on a potential prisoner swap.

Griner, was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, after Russian customs officials found vape cartridges that contained hashish oil in her luggage this past February. 

While the U.S. have been working on a potential prisoner swap to get her home, Griner has now been transferred to a Russian penal colony. This means that her family and lawyers don’t know where she is or where she’s heading. 

According to Griner’s lawyers, the transfer happened a day after U.S. embassy officials visited her and far ahead of the schedule they had anticipated, as a transfer usually takes months. 

Per ESPN:

Russian penal colonies are known for having far harsher conditions than the Moscow jail where Griner has been since she was detained in February.

“Every minute that Brittney Griner must endure wrongful detention in Russia is a minute too long,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement early Wednesday morning. “As the Administration continues to work tirelessly to secure her release, the President has directed the Administration to prevail on her Russian captors to improve her treatment and the conditions she may be forced to endure in a penal colony.”

Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, also released a statement, saying Tuesday night, “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.”