HOUSTON – Brittany Griner sits in a Russian jail more than 5,700 miles from Nimitz High School where she graduated. There is a call for her release, which may be even more challenging now than it would’ve been just a few weeks ago.
As the United States offers support to Ukraine during its war with Russia, there is amplified concern surrounding WNBA superstar and Houston-native Brittany Griner.
Griner is currently detained in Russia after officials there claimed she was found with illegal hash oil cartridges while passing through a Moscow airport last month.
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“I have no idea whether she was actually carrying that stuff or whether they were just trying to harass or arrest someone. Anyway, I don’t think when they arrested her that it had anything to do with Ukraine,” said Dr. Richard Stoll, Albert Thomas Professor of Political Science at Rice University.
With that, Stoll who specializes in international conflict and American national security policy, said our current relationship with Russia makes negotiating Griner’s release more complicated.
“Beginning with the fact that there are probably fewer American diplomats around, and moving on to, well, maybe in normal circumstances, the Russians would release an American citizen to an American diplomat, but right now, it’s like, we’re not going to do you all any favors,” Stoll said.
Efforts to have Griner released are growing.
In a recent press conference, Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee said in part,
“I will be demanding her release. I don’t want to disregard a sovereign nation, but Putin has disregarded sovereign nations his entire service in this world. And anyone that is killing and attacking and destroying Ukraine, their neighboring country that has not bothered them, has no right to hold Ms. Griner, period.”
Right now, there is a Change.org petition circulating online that has garnered more than 5,600 signatures calling for Griner’s release.
The 31-year-old who plays pro basketball in Russia during the off-season now faces up to 10 years in prison there.