Brittney Griner urges President Biden to bring home the Wall Street Journal reporter detained in Russia as she voices concern on social media, after her 10-month detention.
Brittney Griner has urged the Biden administration to continue to use “every tool possible” to secure the release of an American reporter accused of spying on Russia.
Griner and his wife Cherelle wrote on Instagram that “our hearts are filled with great concern” for Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal writer arrested by the Russian FSB security service last week in the Ural city of Yekaterinburg.
The Kremlin says Gershkovich was using journalism as a cover for espionage activities, something his newspaper, the Wall Street Journal, has vehemently denied.
Russia has not released any evidence to support the charges, according to which Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in jail. The White House has called the allegations “ridiculous” and President Joe Biden has called on Moscow to release him.
The Griners said they appreciated Biden’s “deep commitment to rescuing the American people.” They cited the cases of aid worker Jeff Woodke, freed last month after being kidnapped for more than six years in West Africa, and Paul Rusesabagina, a US permanent resident who returned home last week after being freed. prison in Rwanda.
Brittney Griner (R) urged the Biden administration to bring home a detained WSJ journalist
WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is detained in Russia on accusations of being an American spy
Griner, who has been detained in Russia for 10 months, issued a statement with his wife on Saturday.
“Our hearts are filled with great concern for Evan Gershkovich and his family since Evan’s detention in Russia,” the statement read.
“We are grateful for the deep commitment of President Biden and his administration to rescue the American people. We celebrate your recent successful efforts to bring home Jeff Woodke and Paul Rusesabagina.
“Every American that is taken away is ours to fight and every American that comes back is a victory for all of us. That is why we can invite all of our supporters to celebrate the victories and encourage the administration to continue to use every tool possible to bring home Evan and all wrongfully detained Americans.”
Griner, who had been playing professionally in Russia since 2014, was returning to the country last February when she was stopped at the Moscow airport with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil.
Ultimately, Griner was convicted in August and sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison. A subsequent appeal was denied in October.
She was released from a Russian penal colony on December 8 after Biden sanctioned a trade, returning convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout, also known as ‘The Merchant of Death’, to Russia.
Since her return to American soil, Griner has signed a one-year contract with the Phoenix Mercury, the last WNBA team she played for before she was waived.
Griner’s first game will air on ESPN when the WNBA season begins in May.
Griner arrived at Kelly Field in San Antonio after his release in a prisoner exchange in December.
Griner missed all of last season following her incarceration, last playing in the WNBA in 2021.