Brittney Griner surprises first public appearance in New York at conference vows to fight ‘for every American detained abroad’ after 10 months in Russian penal colony
- Brittney Griner appeared at a NAN conference to thank Rev. Al Sharpton
- Griner recently announced she would be publishing a memoir of her time in prison
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Brittney Griner made a surprise appearance Thursday at Rev. Al Sharpton’s annual National Action Network convention in New York City — her first public sighting in the Big Apple since being released from a Russian prison.
Griner thanked Sharpton for his role in brokering her release from Russia – after serving ten months in prison for possession of cannabis oil.
This appearance comes after Griner recently revealed she would be publishing a memoir about her time in prison.
“It means everything to be here today,” Griner said in terse remarks after being introduced by Sharpton at his National Action Network convention at the Sheraton Hotel near Times Square.
“Everyone in this room who gathered, broadcast every prayer, it reached me while I was there, and I want to thank you all here.”
Brittney Griner made her first public appearance in New York City on Thursday at a conference
She appeared at the conference to thank Reverend Al Sharpton for his role in getting her released
Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport last year after security found cannabis oil in her bag
Griner is currently preparing for her upcoming WNBA season with the Phoenix Mercury – her 11th season in the league.
The former champion and eight-time All-Star said she will also spend her time advocating for US citizens imprisoned abroad.
“I want to keep fighting to bring home every American held abroad,” she said. “We need to reunite all those families who are going through this really strange time, challenging time.”
The appearance comes after Griner announced she plans to publish a memoir about her trials and tribulations in Russia.
She hopes her book will help other Americans held abroad, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, arrested in Russia last month and charged with espionage; businessman Kai Li, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence in China on charges of revealing state secrets to the FBI; and Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges.
“By writing this book, I also hope to raise awareness of other Americans who are wrongly detained abroad, such as Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Emad Shargi, Airan Berry, Shahab Dalili, Luke Denman, Eyvin Hernandez, Majd Kamalmaz , Jerrel Kenemore, Kai Li, Siamak Namazi, Austin Tice, Mark Swidan and Morad Tahbaz,” she said in a press release.
Griner’s release from prison was the result of a prisoner exchange conducted by the Biden administration that in return led to the release of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Griner addressed the room after being introduced at the National Action Network convention
She vowed to fight on behalf of American citizens imprisoned abroad
Griner hopes her memoir will help imprisoned Evan Gershkovich (left) and Paul Whelan (right)
Following her arrest in February 2022 – just days before Russia invaded Ukraine – Griner was held in a detention center at Moscow International Airport.
She pleaded guilty on the second day of her July trial, but said she had a medical license to transport cannabis oil and had no intention of breaking the law.
Anyway, a Russian court sentenced her to nine years in prison and a fine of more than $16,000.
This was much longer than the standard 15-day sentence for the amount of oil in her possession and was seen by international political analysts as a way for Russian President Vladimir Putin to control the West.
Griner was transferred to a female penal colony in the gulag town of Yavas. She stayed there in a labor camp under harsh conditions before finally being released on December 8, 2022.