After almost ten months in captivity, Brittney Griner is finally coming back home to America.
Talks surrounding the deal escalated over the last 48-hours, with mediation help from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The discussions resulted in Griner being swapped for notorious Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout. Immediately after the swap, Griner was put onto a plane bound for the United Arab Emirates, where CNN noted her being “in “an extremely upbeat mood,” and “all smiles” and “grateful.”
Griner’s troubles began on Feb. 17, when she was caught traveling with cannabis cartridges while traveling through Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki. She spent her WNBA off-seasons as a member of the Russian Premier League.
Russian prosecutors claimed that the 0.702 grams of cannabis found in Griner’s luggage were in fact a “significant amount.” Despite claiming the amount was significant, the amount she was caught with would only punish her with a small fine, or a two-week jail sentence. According to the Russian Criminal Code, “illegal acquisition or storage of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances on a large scale without the purpose of sale, shall be punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of up to three years.”
Once found guilty and convicted, Griner was transferred from her holding cell to a Russian penal colony more than 200 miles east of Moscow. According to the U.S State Department, “conditions in prisons and detention centers varied but were often harsh and life threatening. Overcrowding, abuse by guards and inmates, limited access to health care, food shortages, and inadequate sanitation were common in prisons, penal colonies, and other detention facilities.”
The report also mentions “pervasive torture by government law enforcement officers that sometimes resulted in death and occasionally involved sexual violence or punitive psychiatric incarceration; harsh and life-threatening conditions in prisons; arbitrary arrest and detention.”
While Griner’s homecoming is long overdue, critics of the move voiced concern over the other prisoner negotiated in President Joe Biden’s first offer, Paul Whalen. A former Marine, Whalen was arrested in December 2018 on charges of espionage. Whalen and U.S. officials have adamantly denied this claim.
Days leading up to Griner’s transfer, Whalen was led to believe that the situation was moving forward and that something would happen soon. The terms would eventually be agreed upon and the prisoners exchanged, all except for Paul Whalen. Russia’s terms were to swap Griner and Bout, one for one, or to not make a deal at all. The U.S. chose Griner.
Speaking with CNN reporters, Whalen described his feelings on the situation, saying, “I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred, I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here.”
Whalen was notably happy for Griner and her release and is still holding out hope for his future release. When asked what he would tell Biden, Whalen said, “This is a precarious situation that needs to be resolved quickly. My bags are packed. I’m ready to go home. I just need an airplane to come and get me.”
Looking forward, the U.S. will continue to engage in trade proposals for Whalen, believing Moscow still remains open to discussion. In the meantime, Griner will be stateside and with family by the end of this week, putting to end a long nightmare for the WNBA superstar.