Brittney Griner, a leading American professional basketball player and openly LGBTQ athlete, was detained in Russia on February 17, 2022, after authorities discovered vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.

While cannabis oil possession is legal in parts of the U.S., it is prohibited in Russia.

She was charged with illegal possession and smuggling of drugs, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced in a brief trial to nine years in a Russian penal colony on August 4, 2022.

Griner maintained that she had a medical prescription and viewed her detention as unjust .

Her arrest came during a period of severely deteriorated U.S.-Russia relations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Griner’s identity as a high-profile Black, lesbian athlete made her case highly symbolic.

Analyses suggest that Russia utilized her detention as a political tool to exert leverage over the U.S., despite official denials framing it as a standard drug offense.

Her case highlighted how governments might exploit celebrities in geopolitical conflicts, intersecting issues of sports, gender, race, and international politics .

While incarcerated, Griner faced harsh conditions typical of the Russian penal system, spending months with limited visitation and suffering psychological distress.

She expressed loneliness and fear, appealing for leniency on grounds of her contributions to Russian women’s basketball, but these requests were denied.

Her legal team also challenged procedural issues highlighted during her trial .

The U.S. government responded by officially designating her as “wrongfully detained,” with President Biden and Vice President Harris engaging Griner’s family and maintaining sustained, discreet diplomatic efforts.

These culminated in a December 2022 prisoner swap, whereby Griner was exchanged for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S.

Brittney Griner, a leading American professional basketball player and openly LGBTQ athlete, was detained in Russia on February 17, 2022, after authorities discovered vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.

Title:

Content: Brittney Griner's Russian detention hits 200-day mark

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U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, sits inside a defendants' cage before the court's verdict in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia August 4, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool

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September 5 - Monday marked 200 days since WNBA star Brittney Griner was first detained in a Russian airport.

The Phoenix Mercury center was arrested Feb. 17 with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage.

Griner, 31, was sentenced to nine years in a penal colony on Aug. 4 on drug smuggling and possession charges.

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On Monday -- Labor Day in the United States -- the Women's National Basketball Players Association issued a plea on social media for all U.S. union members to sign a Change.org petition in support of Griner.

United States President Joe Biden has said Griner is being "wrongfully detained."

Diplomats for Russia and the U.S. have reportedly discussed a prisoner swap to bring Griner and fellow American Paul Whelan home in exchange for the release of convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft, Griner is a seven-time All-Star and two-time Defensive Player of the Year with career averages of 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 254 games.

--Field Level Media

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While cannabis oil possession is legal in parts of the U.S., it is prohibited in Russia.

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Content: Basketball: Brittney Griner′s Russian detention highlights WNBA′s growing problem | Sports | German football and major international sports news | DW | 05.05.2022

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Basketball: Brittney Griner's Russian detention highlights WNBA's growing problem

The WNBA is seen as the world's best women's basketball league. However, the arrest of one of its biggest stars has highlighted problems involving time and money that are forcing players to go abroad in the off-season.

Brittney Griner is being held on drug charges in a Russian prison at present

The 2022 season of the US Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) starts this week with one of its biggest stars, Brittney Griner, still being held in a Russian jail.

The superstar center was arrested for being in possession of vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil during a flight out of Moscow in February. Though legal in the US, the substance is considered illegal in Russia.

The US State Department has spoken out against Griner's detention, a situation complicated by Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. In doing so they promised to "provide appropriate support" ahead of her next court date on May 19.

Griner, 31, has won the WNBA title and Most Valuable Player award with the Phoenix Mercury; two Olympic gold medals and two FIBA Basketball World Cups with USA Basketball Women's National Team.

Yet under the WNBA's salary cap, she earns a fraction of the eyewatering multi-million-dollar deals the likes of Stephen Curry and LeBron James command in the NBA. As a result Griner has spent time in Russia where she has racked up four EuroLeague titles with UMMC Ekaterinburg and a healthy pay cheque.

Uncapped salaries?

Since being founded in 1996, the WNBA has not had the audience to command premium rights deals from television networks. The result is that players, most of whom don't hold Griner's superstar status, are now being forced to move abroad in the off-season to financially set themselves up for the future.

The WNBA season runs from May to September/October with the off-season spent either resting, working in US media or going to play in countries like Australia, China, France and Russia.

While the salary cap in the WNBA sees the highest earners command a salary of $228,094 (€215,067) per season, playing abroad is more lucrative because players can negotiate higher wages.

In Russia, many of the stars can earn upwards of three times the salary, with Griner reportedly earning up to a million dollars during her stints with UMMC Ekaterinburg.

This is all made possible by Russian oligarch owners, like Andrei Kozitsyn and Iskander Makhmudov, who enable teams to provide players with lavish lifestyles, cash gifts and travel accomodations. In contrast, the WNBA recently fined the New York Liberty for creating an unfair advantage after the club chartered private flights for its team.

Russian clubs have also proven willing to go the extra mile as far back as 2015 when Diana Taurasi, the 2009 WNBA MVP, was paid $1.5 million (€1.42 million) by Griner's Russian employers in Ekaterinburg to skip the WNBA season entirely. Taurasi admitted it was a deal that her agent advised "would be financially irresponsible" to pass up.

The inevitable overseas lure

When Evelyn Akhator was selected third overall pick in the WNBA Draft in 2017 by the Dallas Wings, she knew that it was just one step in what she hopes will be a long-lasting professional career.

Evelyn Akhator say that Russia is 'where the real money is' for women basketball players

"As soon as I signed with an agent, they started to look for jobs overseas for me. Unless I told them otherwise, I knew I was going to play overseas," Akhator told DW. "That is where the real money is."

Akhator spent one season with the Wings before leaving to join Dynamo Novosibirsk in Russia where she played against Griner. She told DW of a lonely experience without family, friends or people who looked like her in an environment where being targeted by racist remarks was common on the streets.

The silver lining was that she was able to earn more than double what her rookie contract offered in the WNBA and, since then, she has competed in Turkey, Spain and is currently playing in France with the Flammes Carolo.

By comparison, the season in France is longer than the WNBA's, meaning she can stay active and negotiate a better salary. For her and many others, opportunites like this offer the chance to save up for a future after basketball.

Plugging the overseas loophole

The WNBA's 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the WNBA Players Association wants to make it more difficult for players to go overseas during the off-season.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert wants players to "prioritize" the league instead of playing abroad, The main reason being that leagues in Europe usually end in April, which affects players when they report back for pre-season training camps that same month. DW asked the WNBA and the Players' Association for comment on potential future changes to the season schedule, but received no response.

Free Brittney: Griner's detention could make other players rethink Russian money

From 2023, those who report late to camp will forfeit 1% of their base salary, while players who fail to arrive before the opening night will forfeit their season's pay. Those measures will get stronger in 2024, when players who fail to arrive before the first day of training will forgo being a part of the team.

Those harsher measures are offset by promises of higher salaries as the WNBA hopes to raise the salary cap for their top players to $500,000 (€471,445) thanks to increased marketing opportunities.

But with the war in Ukraine and the sanctions on Russia ongoing, the appetite for going overseas is expected to reduce. The WNBA announced that Griner's initials and jersey number (42) will be featured along the sideline of all 12 WNBA courts, but as her family and friends await her return from Russia, her arrest is forcing players to rethink. Is the money worth it?

In the future, safety overseas will be key when players ask their agents for work, but Akhator doesn't believe that Griner's arrest would deter WNBA players entirely. "I think it is better for players to have a longer season and get paid six, seven-figure [salaries], I think that would really help."

Edited by: James Thorogood

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She was charged with illegal possession and smuggling of drugs, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced in a brief trial to nine years in a Russian penal colony on August 4, 2022.

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Content: YEAR IN REVIEW - 2022 From A To Z: Recapping 365 Days In Just 26 Letters

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th December, 2022) Take a few minutes to recap the biggest stories we brought you in 2022, from A to Z!

The issues of abortion and reproductive healthcare were at the forefront of US political dialogue in 2022, following the May leak of a draft Supreme Court decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. In June, the court officially overturned Roe v. Wade, returning the right to regulate abortion to state governments.

In response to the ruling, a number of states quickly implemented restrictions on abortion. In July, the House passed a pair of bills to provide Federal protections for abortion providers and patients traveling between states for care.

However, with Republicans gaining control of the House and Democrats retaining control of the Senate next Congress, it is unlikely lawmakers pass either federal protections or restrictions on abortion.

During midterm elections in November, several states also held votes on their abortion policies, with states including Vermont and California solidifying abortion protections, and others including Kentucky and Montana rejecting abortion restrictions.

The United States released Russian businessman Viktor Bout from prison in December in exchange for Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) player Brittney Griner. Bout had served over 14 years in prison after being arrested in a US sting operation in Thailand for allegedly conspiring to supply weapons to Colombian rebels.

Griner was arrested in a Russian airport in February after law enforcement officials found her in possession of cannabis oil. She pleaded guilty in July and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Paul Whelan, a former US Marine serving a 16-year sentence in Russia on espionage charges, remains in custody even though the Biden administration pushed for his release as part of the exchange. Russia asserts it considers Whelan in a different category than Griner in terms of criminality.

The COVID-19 pandemic and governmental response efforts continued throughout 2022, with December marking three years since the novel coronavirus was first identified in Wuhan, China. More than 6.6 million people have died of the virus worldwide, including over one million in the US.

Cases continue to be detected worldwide, although Biden said in September that the pandemic stage is over. Nevertheless, in December, the White House relaunched a free, at-home COVID-19 testing program in anticipation of rising case numbers this winter.

The White House noted that COVID-19 remains a public health threat despite causing less disruption than during the peak of the pandemic.

Former US President Donald Trump remained in the political spotlight throughout 2022 amid federal and congressional probes into his conduct, as well as the announcement of a 2024 presidential election bid.

In August, federal agents raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence as part of an investigation into the potential mishandling of sensitive materials from his presidency. Trump has characterized the investigation as a weaponization of the US justice system against him.

Moreover, the House panel tasked with investigating the January 6 Capitol riot finished their probe into the incident, ultimately recommending Trump for criminal prosecution by the Justice Department. The panel accuses Trump of bearing responsibility for the riot and attempting to reverse the 2020 election results.

The investigations did not dissuade Trump from announcing a 2024 reelection bid in November, basing his platform on issues such as election and lobbying reform. Biden has yet to announce a 2024 campaign, although he is expected to confirm his decision early next year.

In November, the US held midterm elections across the country to determine the balance of Congress for the second half of Biden's term as president. Although a "red wave" was predicted by some, Democrats retained control of the Senate while Republicans gained a slim majority in the House.

The federal elections were the first since the 2020 US presidential race and subsequent Capitol riot on January 6, which was fueled by skepticism about electoral processes and outcomes. However, an Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe monitoring group found that the elections were competitive and professionally managed despite concerns about a divisive political environment.

Cryptocurrency company FTX, led by Sam Bankman-Fried, collapsed in November, adding further uncertainty to a market already on the decline for much of 2022. The cryptocurrency exchange commenced voluntary bankruptcy due to a liquidity crunch and commingling of funds, with neither individual nor institutional investors expected to recover their money.

FTX's collapse prompted federal regulators and lawmakers to pursue strengthened oversight of the digital assets market, which was already under scrutiny as an emerging technology. Additionally, some Republican lawmakers have called for investigations into potential corruption involving FTX, the Democratic Party and Ukraine.

US prosecutors are charging Bankman-Fried with crimes including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and violating US campaign finance laws. Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas and later extradited to the US.

Following the launch of Russia's special military operation in February and subsequent sanctions, exports of grain and other agricultural products from the Black Sea halted, threatening food insecurity in countries reliant on Russian and Ukrainian goods.

On July 22, the United Nations, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine agreed to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, ensuring the safe export of food and fertilizers from Russian and Ukrainian ports. The deal has since been extended.

However, Russia argues that sanctions continue to hinder its grain and fertilizer exports despite the deal's terms. President Vladimir Putin has also voiced concerns about Ukrainian grain ending up in Europe instead of the world's poorest countries.

Haiti faced instability for much of 2022 following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last year, with former Prime Minister Ariel Henry taking power in his wake.

Protests erupted in Haiti after Henry ended fuel subsidies, leading to rising energy prices and cost of living. In October, Henry requested foreign forces intervene to help the Haitian government combat armed gangs. The US and Mexico sent military equipment in response.

The country is also experiencing an outbreak of cholera, which started in October. As of December 11, 191 people have died of the disease and more than 12,000 others hospitalized.

In September, the Iranian "morality police" arrested 22-year old Mahsa Amini for allegedly violating laws on the wearing of hijab. Amini died in police custody, with Iranian officials claiming she died of a heart attack while protestors allege she was beaten by police.

The Iranian government's response to the protests resulted in condemnation and sanctions by the US and others, including expulsion from the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Iran accuses Western countries of interfering in its domestic affairs via support for the protests.

The aforementioned death of Mahsa Amini and related protests have also taken the Biden administration's focus away from negotiating a return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Talks have stalled in recent months, leading Biden to call the negotiations "dead" in a video leaked in December.

The White House does not see the parties making progress on the Iran nuclear deal in the near future, according to Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby. The US entered the JCPOA under Obama, exited it under Trump and is seeking a return to the deal under Biden.

North Korea (DPRK) launched a record number of missiles in 2022, conducting tests on 35 different days. In October, one of the test missiles flew over Japan - the first such incident since 2017.

The Biden administration warned of a potential nuclear test by the DPRK throughout the year, threatening consequences for Pyongyang if they were to conduct a test. The Biden administration claims to have repeatedly called on the DPRK to engage in dialogue, only to receive no response.

Liz Truss made history in 2022 by setting the record for shortest-serving British prime minister. Truss replaced Boris Johnson as leader of the United Kingdom's Conservative Party and became prime minister on September 6.

On October 20, her 45th day in office, Truss resigned as prime minister amid a cost of living crisis and controversial budget proposal.

Truss, who still serves in parliament, was replaced by Rishi Sunak.

The US experienced a number of mass shootings again in 2022, including at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas and a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The shootings once again brought attention to the issue of gun control in Congress, with lawmakers passing a bipartisan gun control bill in June.

As of December 20, there have been 636 mass shootings in the United States in 2022, according to the non-profit Gun Violence Archive.

In September, Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were sabotaged in a series of clandestine bombings.

An investigation into the incident led by the Swedish Security Service determined it to be an act of sabotage. The Russian Defense Ministry accused the UK Royal Navy of involvement in the attack, which the UK denied.

The Nord Stream 1 pipeline has not transported any gas since August when Russia shut it down, citing maintenance issues related to sanctions. Nord Stream 2 has never been put into operation, as Germany halted the certification process following Russia's recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics.

In February, China hosted the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, following the delayed summer games in Tokyo just six months earlier. Norway won a record 16 gold medals, Germany 12 and China 9, earning them the top three places on the medal table.

Officials from the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Belgium and several other countries engaged in a diplomatic boycott of the games over human rights concerns.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced in November that she will be stepping down from Democratic Party leadership positions next year, honoring an informal 2018 deal to step down as speaker after four years. Pelosi entered Congress in 1987, serving as speaker under four administrations: from 2007 to 2011 under Bush and Obama, and again from 2019 to present under Trump and Biden.

Pelosi made the announcement following midterm elections, during which Democrats lost control of the House of Representatives. Pelosi said she will continue to serve in Congress as a representative of San Francisco.

In August, Pelosi and other lawmakers made a contentious trip to Taiwan despite warnings by the Biden administration, sparking condemnation and heightened military activity by the government of China. Pelosi was the first US House Speaker to visit Taiwan since Newt Gingrich in 1997.

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, died in September at the age of 96. Her state funeral, attended by a number of world leaders including Biden, became one of the most viewed events in UK television history, with over 26 million people tuning in to watch.

Elizabeth II's eldest son, Charles III, was proclaimed king following her passing.

Railworker unions and railroad companies have been battling over worker attendance policies for several years, with the US government's National Mediation board assisting in negotiations since June 2021.

However, the situation came to the brink of crisis in 2022, with Biden's team informing him in July that the labor dispute posed a substantial threat to interstate commerce and essential transportation services.

In November, the House of Representatives passed a tentative version of a labor agreement between the parties amid a looming strike, with the Senate following in December. Biden signed the agreement into law, intervening to avoid the potentially catastrophic strike - a power granted under the Railway Labor Act.

As the conflict in Ukraine continued on, so too did efforts by the US and its network of partners to impose a number of sanctions on Russia. Everything from government officials to banks, to luxury goods, as well as a number of individuals, entities and items have been subject to financial restrictions in an effort to impose costs on Russia for its special military operation.

At the forefront of the sanctions regime was an effort to impose a multilateral price cap on Russian oil. A coalition of countries, led by the US, set a flexible price cap designed to limit the impact on the global energy market while curbing Russian revenues from oil sales.

Russia condemned countries participating in the price cap, threatening to withhold oil from them entirely and reduce overall oil production.

In April, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk offered to purchase social media company Twitter for $43 billion. After a series of legal battles over the number of fake accounts on the platform, Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion in October.

Musk's reforms to the platform include a focus on protecting freedom of speech, combating inauthentic accounts and removing bans on accounts such as that of former US President Donald Trump.

Musk, who used his status as chief of Twitter to comment on a number of political issues such as the prospect of peace in Ukraine, has faced extensive criticism in the role. In December, Musk expressed a desire to step down as CEO of the company.

Perhaps no other story has received as much attention in 2022 as the conflict in Ukraine. On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation to help protect the Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine's east, targeted by Kiev since 2014.

The operation drew condemnation by the US, NATO, UN and other international bodies, who characterized the action as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia contends the operation is aimed at "denazifying" Ukraine.

In September, the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions voted to join Russia through referenda. Fighting is expected to continue into 2023, although changes in the frontlines have slowed as both sides prepare for the winter months.

In March, the US began expressing interest in working with Venezuela on global energy supply concerns in the wake of the Ukraine conflict, which prompted a number of sanctions on Russian oil and caused instability in world markets.

In May, the US issued a narrow license authorizing energy company Chevron to negotiate future activities in Venezuela. Chevron confirmed to Sputnik in November that the company received US government authorization to extract oil in Venezuela. However, sources also told Sputnik that a blanket lifting of sanctions is unlikely.

Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup from November 20 to December 18, becoming the first country in the Muslim world to host the tournament. Argentina ultimately won the tournament, defeating France 4-2 on penalties in the final match, with their team captain, Lionel Messi, winning the Golden Ball award for best player.

However, the tournament was the subject of a number of controversies, including concerns about Qatar's human rights record, their treatment of LGBT fans and restrictions on alcohol.

Chinese President and Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping was elected to an unprecedented third term as leader during the 20th National Communist Party Congress in October.

The next month, Xi met with Biden for the first time since the latter took office as president. During the meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, the leaders discussed issues including Taiwan, North Korea and the conflict in Ukraine.

In April, the United Nations helped facilitate a nationwide truce between the parties to the conflict in Yemen, which has been ongoing since 2014. The truce was extended several times. The UN Security Council praised the agreement as a foundation for progress toward a political settlement of the conflict.

However, in October, the UN announced that the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels had failed to negotiate a further extension.

Ending our list is a double entry, with both Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the literal letter "Z" as emblematized by the Russian military serving as contrasting representations of the two conflicting sides at the center of the 2022 news cycle.

Zelenskyy, elected in 2019, has served as Ukraine's leader and public figurehead throughout Russia's special military operation. A former comedian turned politician, Zelenskyy spoke virtually with a number of world leaders and organizations from Ukraine during the conflict, eventually traveling to Washington to meet with Biden and appeal to the US Congress in person in December.

The "Z" painted upon Russian equipment used in the special military operation has also become a symbol of their larger effort to reunite Russian-speaking populations under a single nation, with the Ministry of Defense saying the non-Cyrillic letter represents the phrase "for victory," or "za pobedu" in Russian.

Griner maintained that she had a medical prescription and viewed her detention as unjust .

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A Russian court has sentenced Brittney Griner to 9 years in prison on drug charges

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Guilty was the verdict in Moscow today, and the sentence was severe. A Russian court gave American basketball star Brittney Griner nine years in prison. This was right after the judge convicted her of drug smuggling and possession over the small amount of hash oil she says she accidentally brought into the country. The sentence was just shy of the 9 1/2 years that the prosecution requested. All of this plays out against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and negotiations between the U.S. and Russia for a possible prisoner swap. NPR's Charles Maynes was at the courthouse and has our story.

CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE: It's been six full months since Brittney Griner was first detained while rushing to catch a flight at a Moscow airport as she arrived for Russian League play. Yet it took just one afternoon at a Moscow courthouse for the judge to rush through closing arguments and issue her verdict.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).

MAYNES: As Griner sat in the cage listening through an interpreter, the judge said the basketball star had knowingly possessed and transported cannabis oil into Russia and should face nine years in prison as a result.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).

MAYNES: "Do you understand the ruling," said the judge to a stone-faced Griner, who responded...

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

BRITTNEY GRINER: Yes, I understand, Your Honor.

MAYNES: With the ruling, the judge rejected Griner's explanation that the substance, less than a gram of hash oil, was legally obtained in the U.S. through a doctor to treat chronic pain or that she had never intentionally violated Russian law, a point Griner emphasized in a final plea ahead of the ruling.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

GRINER: I made an honest mistake. And I hope that, in your ruling, that it doesn't end my life here.

MAYNES: She also expressed remorse that her actions had embarrassed her fans and teammates at her Russian club, UMMC of Yekaterinburg, where she's played for years.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

GRINER: Again, I want to apologize to my teammates and the organization, UMMC, for any damage that I may have done to them. I never intended on hurting them. This is my second home, and all I wanted to do is just win championships and make them proud.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).

MAYNES: Following the ruling, Griner's lawyers said they would appeal a decision that defied sentencing norms even for Russians, who would themselves receive lighter sentences or possibly even probation. The defense team also expressed frustration that the court completely ignored their arguments for leniency based on Griner's contribution to Russian women's basketball, as well as procedural violation of Griner's rights during her arrest. After the hearing, Griner's lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, acknowledged that while her client did not expected miracles, the shock of a nine-year sentence still lingered with all of them.

MARIA BLAGOVOLINA: We feel disappointment. You know, when we saw Brittney, I think it was Tuesday. And we told her, see you on Thursday. And she said, see you on doomsday. So looks like she was right.

MAYNES: It appears a legal case that has unfolded against the backdrop of plummeting U.S.-Russian relations over the conflict in Ukraine now moves entirely into the political arena. President Biden immediately issued a statement condemning the ruling. And outside the courthouse, the U.S. Embassy's deputy chief of mission, Elizabeth Rood, said the U.S. government would keep fighting to free Griner and other detained Americans in Russia.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ELIZABETH ROOD: This is a miscarriage of justice. The U.S. Department of State has determined that Ms. Griner was wrongfully detained. Nothing in today's decision changes that determination.

MAYNES: The White House has already acknowledged it made a substantial proposal to Russia to free Griner and another American, former Marine Paul Whelan. It's reported that the U.S. would be willing to exchange convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, currently in a prison in Illinois. The Kremlin has suggested closed-door negotiations might yield results once Griner's trial was over but said the talks shouldn't be public. But now that that's the case, and Grinder's nine-year sentence a reality, the price of what Moscow seeks in these negotiations may very well have gone up. Charles Maynes, NPR News, Moscow. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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Her arrest came during a period of severely deteriorated U.S.-Russia relations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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Content: - The Washington Times - Friday, July 1, 2022

As pressure mounts on President Biden to take more aggressive action to get Moscow to release jailed WNBA star Brittney Griner, the international chatter increasing points to a prisoner swap for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Russian media and Bout’s lawyer, Steve Zissou, say Russian officials want to secure Bout’s release and that Griner, who has been locked up in Russia since February, could be part of a deal.

“I would be surprised if any American was repatriated without Viktor Bout also being sent home to his family,” Zissou told The Washington Times.

Bout is serving a 25-year sentence in federal prison. He was convicted of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens, delivering anti-aircraft missiles, and providing aid to a terrorist organization, charges his lawyer disputes.

Another detained American, former Marine Paul Whelan, who was arrested in Russia on espionage charges in 2018, could also be part of a prisoner swap for Bout.

Mr. Zissou said the deal would likely have to include Bout. The lawyer met last month with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, who said that freeing Bout “was Russia’s number one priority,” according to Mr. Zissou.

Griner, meanwhile, made her first appearance in court on Friday and was accused of possessing “a significant amount of cannabis oil,” which is a banned substance in Russia. She faces likely conviction and a decade in prison when her trial resumes on July 7.

Griner, 31, was arrested at the airport in Moscow on Feb. 17 for allegedly carrying vape cartridges with hashish oil. She was visiting the country to play for a Russian basketball team after the conclusion of the WNBA season.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied Griner is being held as a political pawn, The Associated Press reported.

“The facts are that the famous athlete was detained in possession of prohibited medication containing narcotic substances,” Peskov told reporters on Friday. “In view of what I’ve said, it can’t be politically motivated.”

Still, Russia’s desire to free Bout complicates matters for Mr. Biden, who is weathering intense criticism for failing to secure the release of Griner, a center for the Phoenix Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Dozens of organizations, including women’s and LGBTQ groups, have pressed Mr. Biden to step up efforts to secure Griner’s release. They called on the president “to make a deal to get Brittney back home to America immediately and safely.”

While Bout’s lawyer disputes the charges against him, Bout was convicted of far more serious crimes than Griner’s drug charge, which could make it difficult for the Biden administration to agree to a swap.

Griner’s high-profile detainment comes at a historically difficult point in the diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and Russia. Griner was arrested just days before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops to invade Ukraine on February 24.

The U.S. has condemned the invasion and responded by providing Ukraine with weapons and other support to defend itself from Mr. Putin’s forces.

With Griner in detention, Russian officials are now intensifying efforts to secure the release of Bout, whose targeting and conviction by the United States has long been viewed as an attack on Russian sovereignty.

Russian media is reporting that a swap for Bout is on the table.

“Currently, talks are underway on exchanging Bout for Griner,” Tass news reported, citing an unnamed Russian source.

Nicknamed the “Merchant of Death,” Bout was convicted in 2011 in a U.S. government sting operation of planning to smuggle arms to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The witnesses hired to portray FARC told Bout the arms would be used to target U.S. military serving in Colombia.

Bout, 55, is about five years from completing his sentence and is in failing health, his lawyer said.

Mr. Zissou said he is trying to elevate the circumstances surrounding his client’s case to improve his appeal as a candidate for a prisoner swap.

The U.S. targeted Bout while he was living in Moscow and retired from running an air transport company that also smuggled arms from one country to another.

The U.S. government paid more than $10 million to criminals as part of the operation to catch Bout.

“Entrapment is exactly what happened,” Mr. Zissou said.

Mr. Zissou said exchanging Griner for Bout is “a no brainer,” because his client will be freed in a few years regardless.

Last week, Russian officials extended Griner’s pretrial detention by six months. With Russia’s acquittal rate in criminal cases at less than 1%, it’s unlikely she will be able to return to the U.S. without a prisoner exchange.

Pressure is also on Mr. Biden to also secure the release of Mr. Whelan, 52, who is serving a 16-year sentence in a Russian prison camp.

“It’s certainly conceivable that a swap for Whelan and Bout gets agreed to, and then at the end of Griner’s trial, if she’s convicted, she just gets pardoned and sent home,” Mr. Zissou said.

In a statement provided to The Times, the State Department declined to provide details about the talks to free Griner.

“We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas,” a State Department spokesman said. “The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner. The U.S. government will continue to provide appropriate support to Griner and her family. We will continue to press for her release.”

• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.

Copyright © 2022 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

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Griner’s identity as a high-profile Black, lesbian athlete made her case highly symbolic.

Analyses suggest that Russia utilized her detention as a political tool to exert leverage over the U.S., despite official denials framing it as a standard drug offense.

Her case highlighted how governments might exploit celebrities in geopolitical conflicts, intersecting issues of sports, gender, race, and international politics .

While incarcerated, Griner faced harsh conditions typical of the Russian penal system, spending months with limited visitation and suffering psychological distress.

She expressed loneliness and fear, appealing for leniency on grounds of her contributions to Russian women’s basketball, but these requests were denied.

Her legal team also challenged procedural issues highlighted during her trial .

The U.S. government responded by officially designating her as “wrongfully detained,” with President Biden and Vice President Harris engaging Griner’s family and maintaining sustained, discreet diplomatic efforts.

These culminated in a December 2022 prisoner swap, whereby Griner was exchanged for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S.

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Content: Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
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Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude

Brittney Griner Is Ready to Tell Her ‘Unfathomable’ Story in New Memoir

The two-time Olympic gold medalist will finally tell the story of her Russian detainment.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Ahead of her return to the WNBA, Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has confirmed that she will tell the true story behind her wrongful detainment in Russia. According to The Associated Press, on Tuesday, the eight-time all-star announced that she is working on a memoir about her imprisonment. It is currently scheduled for release in spring 2024.

In February 2022, Griner was stopped in a Moscow airport when the police said they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. The WNBA champion was charged with drug smuggling and possession. After a short trial, the basketball star was found guilty and sentenced to nine years in prison. Just as she was beginning her sentence in a labor camp, in December 2022 the U.S. and Russia conducted a prisoner exchange, with Griner coming home, while convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout was released into Russian custody.

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“That day (in February) was the beginning of an unfathomable period in my life which only now am I ready to share,” Griner said in a statement released by Alfred A. Knopf.

When she was arrested, Griner was headed back to Russia to join UMMC Ekaterinburg, the professional team she played for there. Most top WNBA stars play overseas the rest of the year, as they don’t earn much money competing in the United States.

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“The primary reason I traveled back to Russia for work that day was because I wanted to make my wife, family, and teammates proud,” she said. “After an incredibly challenging 10 months in detainment, I am grateful to have been rescued and to be home. Readers will hear my story and understand why I’m so thankful for the outpouring of support from people across the world.”

The two-time Olympic gold medalist went on to say that she hopes “her book would raise awareness of other Americans detained overseas.” In December 2022, the Baylor alum announced on Instagram that she planned to play during the upcoming season, writing, “I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season, and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon.”

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In February, Griner re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury for a one-year deal. She will make her 2023 season debut on the road on Friday, May 19 against the Los Angeles Sparks.


Brittney Griner, a prominent American basketball player and openly LGBTQ+ athlete, was arrested in February 2022 at a Moscow airport for possession of vape cartridges containing hashish oil, illegal under Russian law.

She pleaded guilty during a trial held amid escalating tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and was sentenced to nearly nine years in a Russian penal colony known for harsh conditions.

As a Black lesbian woman, Griner reportedly endured significant psychological trauma and difficult treatment in Russian custody, highlighting the intersecting issues of race, gender, and sexuality in political imprisonment.

Her arrest became politically charged due to its timing and US-Russia relations.

The US State Department designated her detention wrongful in May 2022, escalating diplomatic efforts to secure her release.

While Russian authorities denied politicization, many observers viewed Griner's detention as a bargaining chip in geopolitical conflicts.

Her celebrity status amplified media scrutiny and public pressure, highlighting the intersection of sports, gender identity, and international diplomacy.

After long negotiations complicated by Russia’s demands for other prisoners’ release, a prisoner swap was brokered in December 2022.

Griner was exchanged in Abu Dhabi for Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms trafficker serving a 25-year US prison sentence.

The swap triggered controversy in the US, with critics warning it set a dangerous precedent and lamenting the exclusion of other detained Americans.

Following her return, Griner faced psychological challenges consistent with trauma from incarceration but publicly expressed resilience and gratitude.

Supported by the sports community and advocacy groups, she resumed her professional career and advocacy for justice, athlete safety, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Experts in sports, gender studies, and international relations regard Griner’s ordeal as emblematic of the vulnerabilities faced by female and LGBTQ+ athletes caught in global political disputes.

The case illustrates the gendered and racialized dynamics of political imprisonment and the role of media and advocacy in diplomatic outcomes.

In sum, Brittney Griner’s arrest, incarceration, and politically significant prisoner swap illustrate the complex intersections of sports, gender identity, and international politics.

Her story reveals the exploitation of celebrity athletes in diplomatic conflicts, with significant human and political consequences and ongoing implications for justice and international relations.

Brittney Griner, a prominent American basketball player and openly LGBTQ+ athlete, was arrested in February 2022 at a Moscow airport for possession of vape cartridges containing hashish oil, illegal under Russian law.

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Content: US-Russia prisoner exchange talks
American female basketball star in exchange for Russian arms dealer Moscow confirmed in negotiations
According to Agence France-Presse, a Russian diplomat pointed out on the 13th that the United States and Russia are discussing prisoner exchange, which is the first time that the Russian side has said that the prisoner exchange negotiations involve the exchange of Viktor Bout, an arms dealer with the title of "businessman of death", and American basketball star Brittney Griner.
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According to the report, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry ’ s North American department, Alexander Datchiev, claimed on Saturday that “discussions on the very sensitive issue of prisoner exchange are taking place through the channels chosen by our president. ”
"Of course, if Washington is careful not to spread propaganda and continue its quiet diplomacy, it should bear fruit," he added.
The report continued, "TASS" (TASS) quoted the news that this is the first time that the Russian side confirmed that the US-Russia prisoner exchange involves the exchange of Bout and the US women's professional basketball (WNBA) player Greiner.
In fact, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said recently that he is ready to discuss the exchange of prisoners with the United States.
He said at the time that President Putin and President Biden had previously reached a consensus on diplomatic channels for discussing prisoner exchanges.
A two-time Olympic gold medalist who won the WNBA championship and previously played in Russia, Greiner was arrested in February for possession of an e-cigarette containing cannabis oil a few days before Moscow launched its assault on Ukraine.
Cannabis is illegal in Russia, whether for medical or recreational purposes.
Greiner, who has pleaded guilty but denied deliberately breaking Russian law, had previously shown little emotion when she appeared in court on August 2.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Greiner ’ s drug-related trial is nearing its end and could be sentenced to 10 years in prison, but could end in a prisoner swap between the United States and Russia.
And Russian arms dealer Bout, who was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and later extradited to the United States, was sentenced to 25 years in prison in the United States in 2011 on charges of supplying weapons to some of the world ’ s most violent and bloody insurgents.
According to the Washington Post, quoting sources, US Secretary of State Colin Blinken said on July 27 that he had made concrete proposals to the Russian side, when the United States proposed to use Bout in the United States in exchange for the return of Greiner and another former Marine detained by Russia Paul Whelan.

She pleaded guilty during a trial held amid escalating tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and was sentenced to nearly nine years in a Russian penal colony known for harsh conditions.

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Content: After President Biden ’ s rescue and the United Arab Emirates brokered a prisoner swap agreement between the United States and Russia, Brittney Griner, America ’ s top female basketball player in a Russian prison, was finally released back to the United States, and Biden paid the price for the Russian “Death Dealer ” Porter, who was imprisoned in the United States for 25 years. Viktor Bout is released, although it is not proportional principle, but the United States and Russia are somehow written off!
“Prisoner exchange ” is actually an act of contempt for the law. It is an ugly game imposed by politicians in order to achieve their goals. They treat prisoners as a commodity, a bargaining chip, so it is a violation of the law. But because“ prisoner exchange ” is humane, it is acceptable. The Chinese government had reached an agreement with the Canadian government that the exchange of two Canadian prisoners held in China by Huawei's female son Meng Wanzhou was a clear example of a "prisoner exchange".
Greener was arrested in February this year at Moscow International Airport after being found to contain cannabis oil e-cigarettes. She was sentenced to nine years in prison by a Russian court on August 4 after being detained for half a year. Olympic basketball gold medal national treasure, but unfortunately, because it coincides with the Russian-Ukrainian war, US-Russian relations are tense, so Grenada has become a scapegoat for the war.
President Biden has spent the past few months trying to save Greiner, but he has returned to Russia through former New Mexico Governor Richard Nixon, who has served as a congressman, energy secretary and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He has had good relations with Russia and has been instrumental in facilitating the release of prisoners and mediating international conflicts. A few years ago, he helped bring back former U.S. Marine Leder, who had been detained in Russia for more than two years, but this time it was impossible to save Grener, so President Biden had to send Secretary of State Abraham Lincoln to present a prisoner exchange plan to the Russian Foreign Minister in exchange for Grener and another American prisoner accused of spying in Russia, Paul Whelan.
However, this "2 for 1" model was flatly rejected by Putin, until recently, with the leadership of the United Arab Emirates to coordinate and finally reach a "1 for 1" agreement, and a simple case of carrying drugs instead of selling drugs was jailed for more than 10 months, it is ridiculous that Greiner has finally been released from prison and returned to the United States. With the arms of her family, this 6-foot-9-inch basketball champion will soon be able to play on the court again, of course, after this painful catastrophe, I believe that after the NBA season, she will never dare, nor will she go to the UMMC Ekaterinburg team in the Russian League to make extra money!
(The author is the chief writer of South American Media Group)
※ The above statements do not represent the position of Wangzhong Media Group ※
# USA # Russia # Lena # Changed Prisoner # Detained

As a Black lesbian woman, Griner reportedly endured significant psychological trauma and difficult treatment in Russian custody, highlighting the intersecting issues of race, gender, and sexuality in political imprisonment.

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Content: - The Washington Times - Friday, July 1, 2022

As pressure mounts on President Biden to take more aggressive action to get Moscow to release jailed WNBA star Brittney Griner, the international chatter increasing points to a prisoner swap for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Russian media and Bout’s lawyer, Steve Zissou, say Russian officials want to secure Bout’s release and that Griner, who has been locked up in Russia since February, could be part of a deal.

“I would be surprised if any American was repatriated without Viktor Bout also being sent home to his family,” Zissou told The Washington Times.

Bout is serving a 25-year sentence in federal prison. He was convicted of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens, delivering anti-aircraft missiles, and providing aid to a terrorist organization, charges his lawyer disputes.

Another detained American, former Marine Paul Whelan, who was arrested in Russia on espionage charges in 2018, could also be part of a prisoner swap for Bout.

Mr. Zissou said the deal would likely have to include Bout. The lawyer met last month with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, who said that freeing Bout “was Russia’s number one priority,” according to Mr. Zissou.

Griner, meanwhile, made her first appearance in court on Friday and was accused of possessing “a significant amount of cannabis oil,” which is a banned substance in Russia. She faces likely conviction and a decade in prison when her trial resumes on July 7.

Griner, 31, was arrested at the airport in Moscow on Feb. 17 for allegedly carrying vape cartridges with hashish oil. She was visiting the country to play for a Russian basketball team after the conclusion of the WNBA season.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied Griner is being held as a political pawn, The Associated Press reported.

“The facts are that the famous athlete was detained in possession of prohibited medication containing narcotic substances,” Peskov told reporters on Friday. “In view of what I’ve said, it can’t be politically motivated.”

Still, Russia’s desire to free Bout complicates matters for Mr. Biden, who is weathering intense criticism for failing to secure the release of Griner, a center for the Phoenix Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Dozens of organizations, including women’s and LGBTQ groups, have pressed Mr. Biden to step up efforts to secure Griner’s release. They called on the president “to make a deal to get Brittney back home to America immediately and safely.”

While Bout’s lawyer disputes the charges against him, Bout was convicted of far more serious crimes than Griner’s drug charge, which could make it difficult for the Biden administration to agree to a swap.

Griner’s high-profile detainment comes at a historically difficult point in the diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and Russia. Griner was arrested just days before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops to invade Ukraine on February 24.

The U.S. has condemned the invasion and responded by providing Ukraine with weapons and other support to defend itself from Mr. Putin’s forces.

With Griner in detention, Russian officials are now intensifying efforts to secure the release of Bout, whose targeting and conviction by the United States has long been viewed as an attack on Russian sovereignty.

Russian media is reporting that a swap for Bout is on the table.

“Currently, talks are underway on exchanging Bout for Griner,” Tass news reported, citing an unnamed Russian source.

Nicknamed the “Merchant of Death,” Bout was convicted in 2011 in a U.S. government sting operation of planning to smuggle arms to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The witnesses hired to portray FARC told Bout the arms would be used to target U.S. military serving in Colombia.

Bout, 55, is about five years from completing his sentence and is in failing health, his lawyer said.

Mr. Zissou said he is trying to elevate the circumstances surrounding his client’s case to improve his appeal as a candidate for a prisoner swap.

The U.S. targeted Bout while he was living in Moscow and retired from running an air transport company that also smuggled arms from one country to another.

The U.S. government paid more than $10 million to criminals as part of the operation to catch Bout.

“Entrapment is exactly what happened,” Mr. Zissou said.

Mr. Zissou said exchanging Griner for Bout is “a no brainer,” because his client will be freed in a few years regardless.

Last week, Russian officials extended Griner’s pretrial detention by six months. With Russia’s acquittal rate in criminal cases at less than 1%, it’s unlikely she will be able to return to the U.S. without a prisoner exchange.

Pressure is also on Mr. Biden to also secure the release of Mr. Whelan, 52, who is serving a 16-year sentence in a Russian prison camp.

“It’s certainly conceivable that a swap for Whelan and Bout gets agreed to, and then at the end of Griner’s trial, if she’s convicted, she just gets pardoned and sent home,” Mr. Zissou said.

In a statement provided to The Times, the State Department declined to provide details about the talks to free Griner.

“We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas,” a State Department spokesman said. “The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner. The U.S. government will continue to provide appropriate support to Griner and her family. We will continue to press for her release.”

• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.

Copyright © 2022 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

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Her arrest became politically charged due to its timing and US-Russia relations.

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Inside Joe Biden’s Faustian pact with Russia to secure Brittney

Three weeks ago, the American basketball star Brittney Griner arrived at a Russian penal colony known for torture, beatings and slave labour to begin a nine-year sentence following her arrest at a Moscow airport in February for possession of vaping cartridges containing hashish oil.

But in a stunning twist on Thursday, Griner’s plight as an unwitting pawn in a high-stakes geopolitical struggle came to an abrupt end, as she arrived in Abu Dhabi from Moscow and boarded a plane home to reunite with her family. She landed in San Antonio, Texas, early Friday morning.

In exchange for Griner’s release, the US released Viktor Bout, a notorious arms trafficker who was serving a 25-year sentence for conspiring to kill US citizens and aiding a terrorist organisation.

The deal was met with jubilation from Griner’s family and supporters. But the controversial swap for Bout — as well as the exclusion of Paul Whelan, another US citizen imprisoned in Russia — also drew criticism and raised questions about how America’s adversaries might leverage arrests of its citizens in the future.

US officials began working toward Griner’s release as soon as she was apprehended in Russia in February, but the effort became more concentrated on prisoner swap negotiations once the State Department declared in May that she had been wrongfully detained.

In July, US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov spoke on the phone for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. During the call, Blinken pressed Lavrov to accept a “substantial proposal” from Washington to release Griner and the former marine Whelan, who has been detained in Russia since 2018 on what the US and his family say are trumped-up espionage charges.

Americans had offered to free Bout, people familiar with the discussions said, but the Russians said they also wanted the release of Vadim Krasikov, a former colonel from Russia’s domestic spy agency who was convicted of murder in Germany last year.

In the ensuing months, officials said, Washington made a number of offers to Russia in an attempt to secure the release of Griner and Whelan.

However, Biden administration officials said that in recent weeks it became clear that Moscow would only accept a one-for-one swap. According to one senior administration official, “the choice was bringing Brittney Griner home right now or bringing no Americans home from Russia right now”.

Despite the Biden administration’s insistence that they had no choice but to exclude Whelan from the deal, Republican lawmakers and others denounced the decision, as well as facilitating the release of Bout, who is also known as “the merchant of death”.

“The Biden administration has allowed Viktor Bout, a dangerous arms dealer who was convicted of conspiring to kill American law enforcement, to walk free,” said Mike Rogers, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.

“This move to appease Vladimir Putin will only encourage further hostage taking by Russian security forces,” he added.

US officials described Biden’s choice as a painful one, adding that they would continue to work for Whelan’s release. Washington previously secured the release of Trevor Reed, another former marine, via a prisoner swap in April.

People familiar with Thursday’s prisoner exchange likened the episode to “a scene from the Cold War”, with Russian and American planes meeting on the tarmac at an airport in Abu Dhabi.

The Russian plane carrying Griner arrived first, one of the people said. American officials and people familiar with the events said the basketball star was upbeat on the tarmac, saying she was looking forward to returning home.

The Griner-Bout swap marks a rare instance in which the US and Russia have been able to find common ground since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sending the west’s relationship with Moscow to its lowest ebb since the Cuban missile crisis.

According to people familiar with the matter, the Americans and Russians directly negotiated the details of the swaps, with UAE officials including president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan helping to facilitate the mechanics of the transfer.

It is not unusual for third countries to aid in brokering international diplomatic agreements such as prisoner swaps between hostile countries.

Sheikh Mohammed and Putin discussed the matter when they met in Russia in October, and they spoke on the phone on Wednesday, people familiar with the meetings said. Yousef al-Otaiba, UAE ambassador to the US, was present for the exchange on Thursday and had helped to co-ordinate details on the American side.

On Thursday, some pro-Kremlin commentators hailed the swap as a return to diplomacy. “Everyone sees through this exchange that Moscow and Washington are holding secret negotiations and can make a deal,” Sergei Markov, a political scientist and former member of Russia’s parliament, wrote on Telegram. “And everyone hopes that means Moscow and Washington can make a deal to end the war in Ukraine.”

However, analysts and US officials said that while the breakthrough was a sign that the two sides could get things done when their interests align, it was not evidence of any larger thaw in relations. Biden administration officials added that the recent conversations with Russia about Griner and other prisoners were limited to the release of wrongfully detained Americans.

“The exchange doesn’t do anything to change the situation for bilateral relations. There are lots of issues where they are in open confrontation,” said Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

He said the otherwise dire state of relations between Russia and the west was thrown into sharp relief last week, when Moscow abruptly pulled out of talks on renewing the New Start treaty, the only remaining agreement governing the countries’ nuclear arsenals.

“This is a global stability issue: the last remainders of arms control are falling apart, which could lead to an arms race and a higher risk of dangerous incidents,” he said. “The trajectory we’re on is making that all the more likely.”

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The US State Department designated her detention wrongful in May 2022, escalating diplomatic efforts to secure her release.

While Russian authorities denied politicization, many observers viewed Griner's detention as a bargaining chip in geopolitical conflicts.

Her celebrity status amplified media scrutiny and public pressure, highlighting the intersection of sports, gender identity, and international diplomacy.

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Defense National Security — Garland defends FBI search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday defended the FBI’s search of former President Trumps’ Mar-a-Lago as the Justice Department asked a judge to unseal the warrant authorizing the search.

We’ll talk about Garland’s first public comments since the Monday search. Plus, we’ll talk about Russia confirming the existence of prisoner swap negotiations for WNBA star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan.

This is Defense & National Security, your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. For The Hill, I’m  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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DOJ asks court to unseal Trump search warrant

The Justice Department on Thursday moved to unseal a warrant authorizing a search of former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate this week following escalating demands for answers about the unprecedented investigation.

‘Clear and powerful interest:’ “The public’s clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing,” Justice Department lawyers wrote in a court filing submitted Thursday afternoon.

What’s at issue? In addition to the search warrant itself, the sealed materials at issue include the FBI’s inventory of what it seized during Monday’s search and likely a law enforcement affidavit laying out the basis to suspect there was evidence of criminal conduct at Mar-a-Lago.

‘Personally approved:’ The filing coincided with a public statement from Attorney General Merrick Garland, his first since FBI agents executed the search warrant on Monday.

Garland said he personally signed off on the decision to apply for and execute that search warrant, and that the decision was not made “lightly.”

“All Americans are entitled to the even-handed application of the law, to due process of law and to the presumption of innocence,” Garland said in remarks at DOJ headquarters. “Much of our work is by necessity conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations. Federal law, long standing department rules and our ethical obligations prevent me from providing further details as to the basis of the search at this time.”

What happens now? Trump will have an opportunity to argue against unsealing the materials if he disagrees with the move. Attorneys representing the former president did not immediately respond when asked for comment.

Read the full story here.

Garland, Wray denounce threats against FBI

Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray denounced threats against the bureau this week after its agents executed a search warrant at former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.

“I’m always concerned about violence and threats of violence against law enforcement,” Wray said during remarks at the FBI’s Field Office in Omaha, Neb., on Wednesday. “Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter what anybody’s upset about or who they’re upset with."

Garland, in short remarks from DOJ headquarters on Thursday, specifically slammed “unfounded attacks” on DOJ and FBI agents and prosecutors. His comments came hours after an armed man in Ohio tried to break into the Cincinnati FBI field office.

“I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked,” Garland said.

“The men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department are dedicated, patriotic public servants. Every day, they protect the American people from violent crime, terrorism, and other threats to their safety while safeguarding our civil rights. They do so at great personal sacrifice and risk to themselves. I am honored to work alongside them,” he continued.

Read more here.

Russia confirms prisoner exchange negotiations

Russian officials confirmed on Thursday they are negotiating with the United States over a prisoner swap.

U.S. officials have reportedly proposed exchanging notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan.

A quick recap: Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the Kremlin was ready to negotiate with the U.S. after the Biden administration reportedly offered the two-for-one swap involving Griner and Whelan.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson, who has been talking to both sides, predicted Sunday that Whelan and Griner will be freed in a “two-for-two” swap with Moscow.

What Russia said: Russian Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Ivan Nechayev said at a news briefing that “corresponding competent authorities have been instructed to negotiate the issue” and “are in talks” on the matter, according to Russian news outlet Tass.

Nechayev also urged reporters and the public “not to speculate on the sensitive issue affecting specific individuals.”

“We would recommend abandoning futile attempts to put pressure on us and we are calling on them to concentrate on practical work along the available channels,” he said, according to Tass. “We proceed from the fact that the negotiations should take the interests of both sides into account.”

About Griner and Wheelan: Griner was arrested in Russia in February for bringing cannabis oil cartridges into the country, where marijuana is illegal. She was sentenced to nine years in prison last week.

Whelan was detained in Russia in 2018 on spying charges he denies and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Read the full story here.

ARMY IDENTIFIES RANGER CANDIDATES KILLED IN STORM

The Army has identified the two Ranger candidates killed by a falling tree Tuesday during a training exercise in the north Georgia mountains.

Staff Sgt. George Taber, 30, and 2nd Lt. Evan Fitzgibbon, 23, died after they were hit by the tree while sheltering from a storm on Yonah Mountain near Dahlonega, Ga., according to an Army statement.

‘Deeply saddened:’ “We are all deeply saddened by the loss of these two outstanding Soldiers and send our heartfelt condolences to their families,” Maj. Gen. Curtis Buzzard, the commanding general of Fort Benning and the Maneuver Center of Excellence, said in the release. “They are in our thoughts and prayers.”

What happened? Fitzgibbon and Taber, along with three other Ranger candidates, were struck by the tree around 3:15 p.m. “during a weather-induced training hold.”

All injured personnel were transported to a local hospital, where Fitzgibbon and Taber were later pronounced dead.

Yonah Mountain, which sits about 80 miles northeast of Atlanta, is used for training as part of the Army’s grueling, two-month Ranger School.

About the victims: Taber, a medical sergeant with the 7th Special Forces Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., enlisted in the Army in March 2017, according to the service.

Fitzgibbon, who was commissioned in May 2021 after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, was assigned to a training unit at Fort Benning.

Read the full story here.

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW

The Foreign Policy Research Institute will host a discussion on “Speaker Pelosi’s Taiwan Trip: What It Meant and What Comes Next?” at 12 p.m.

WHAT WE'RE READING

That’s it for today! Check out The Hill’s Defense and National Security pages for the latest coverage. See you tomorrow!

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After long negotiations complicated by Russia’s demands for other prisoners’ release, a prisoner swap was brokered in December 2022.

Griner was exchanged in Abu Dhabi for Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms trafficker serving a 25-year US prison sentence.

The swap triggered controversy in the US, with critics warning it set a dangerous precedent and lamenting the exclusion of other detained Americans.

Following her return, Griner faced psychological challenges consistent with trauma from incarceration but publicly expressed resilience and gratitude.

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Content: Brittney Griner pleaded guilty in Russia to marijuana charges, so what happens next?

WNBA star Brittany Griner pleaded guilty Thursday to bringing cannabis-derived oil cartridges to Russia, saying she had done so by accident. The move was significant as it shed the first light on her defense team's strategy, and it could potentially pave the way for a prisoner swap with the U.S. or a pardon that could see Griner freed.

"We of course hope for the leniency of the court," the basketball player's Russian lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, was quoted as saying by local media on Thursday outside a Moscow courthouse. "Considering all the circumstances of the case and taking into account the personality of our client, we believe that the admission of guilt should certainly be taken into account."

From a procedural standpoint, under Russia's legal system a pardon or prisoner swap can only happen if the individual has already been convicted. Moscow is unlikely to respond to any of Washington's requests for Griner's release until she has formally been convicted.

Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Thursday that "there are no formal or procedural reasons to discuss further steps" until Griner's trial is concluded.

On Friday, Ryabkov indicated that Russia was interested in putting the ball in Washington's court — leaving the Biden administration to make an offer for a potential swap if the two sides can reach the stage of closed-door negotiations on an exchange.

"As for any exchange schemes, our position is the same: this needs to be done behind closed doors through the available channels," Ryabkov said.

Ryabkov signaled clearly that Moscow could be interested in negotiating a swap for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, the so-called "Merchant of Death," who has been in U.S. custody since 2008.

"I'm not sure that any additional activity, especially in the public sphere, will help a correct, balanced compromise and find a basis to alleviate the fate of a lot of our compatriots such as Viktor Bout, who has health problems, [or] such as Seleznev, and many others," he said, referring to Roman Seleznev, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence in the U.S. on cyber-fraud charges.

U.S. officials have repeatedly referred to Griner as "wrongfully detained," a label the Kremlin said is not "helpful" in negotiations.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Friday during an official visit to Indonesia that securing the release of Griner and another U.S. citizen, Paul Whelan, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges in Russia, was a "number one priority" for the Biden administration.

Asked about Ryabkov's remarks suggesting Griner's trial would have to play out before there was any further movement on a potential prisoner swap, Blinken told reporters he was "not going to engage in hypotheticals."

"We'll look for ways to engage and do everything we can to bring people home as quickly as we possibly can," he said.

Even though Griner has entered a guilty plea it could still take weeks or even months for the judge to issue a verdict in the case. Griner is expected to give testimony during the next hearing, which is scheduled for July 14.

The admission of guilt could play in Griner's favor in the long term, as it may lead to a shorter trial than would be expected if her legal team were to mount a fierce resistance to the charges. That was the case with another American, Trevor Reed, who was recently released in a swap for Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko. After fighting the charges against him for nearly three years while he languished in a Russian prison, Reed was reportedly still made to sign a paper admitting his wrongdoing before he was released.

Possession and use of marijuana are illegal in Russia. Statistically, very few criminal cases end in acquittal in the Russian justice system.

If any negotiations on a potential prisoner swap fail — or fail to even materialize, given relations between Washington and Moscow are currently at or near an all-time low — pleading guilty and asking the court for mercy could at least see any sentence imposed on Griner shortened.

"We're still in a wait-and-see posture as to how the trial proceeds,"William Pomeranz, the acting director of the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute in Washington and an expert on Russian law, told CBS News on Thursday.

"I think she pled guilty mainly to throw herself on the mercy of the court and to plead for leniency," Pomeranz said. He's previously told news outlets that that is often the best strategy to adopt with Russia's courts.

"We'll have to see if she gets the maximum sentence. Clearly this case has now become a political case, and there are already discussions, allegedly, about having a plea agreement and a prisoner swap with a Russian prisoner for Brittney Griner," he said. "We need to basically see whether this prisoner swap is in the cards, because if she indeed wants to get home as fast as possible, it will be only if there is a swap between Russia and the United States."

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Supported by the sports community and advocacy groups, she resumed her professional career and advocacy for justice, athlete safety, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Experts in sports, gender studies, and international relations regard Griner’s ordeal as emblematic of the vulnerabilities faced by female and LGBTQ+ athletes caught in global political disputes.

The case illustrates the gendered and racialized dynamics of political imprisonment and the role of media and advocacy in diplomatic outcomes.

In sum, Brittney Griner’s arrest, incarceration, and politically significant prisoner swap illustrate the complex intersections of sports, gender identity, and international politics.

Title:

Content:

by Maximilian Hess
Friday, 5
August 2022
Debate
07:00

The Brittney Griner prison swap sets a dangerous precedent

Bad actors may be inspired to follow Putin's example
by Maximilian Hess
Brittany Griner

The Russian trial of US basketball star Brittney Griner concluded today; she was handed an eight-year sentence on cannabis charges that Washington considers bogus. But she may not serve much of that, with the Kremlin has indicating its willingness to discuss a reported US proposal to include her in a prisoner swap.

On offer as part of the exchange from the US is Viktor Bout, an infamous Russian arms-dealer who served as the inspiration for the 2005 film, Lord of War. In return, the US wants to secure not only Griner’s release but that of ex-marine Paul Whelan too.

As might have been expected, former President Donald Trump waded into the debate. On a conservative talk radio show, Trump criticised the swap, saying that “it doesn’t look like a very good trade”. He continued:

They don’t like drugs. And she [Griner] got caught. And now, we’re supposed to get her out — and she makes, you know, a lot of money, I guess. We’re supposed to get her out for an absolute killer and one of the biggest arms dealers in the world. Killed many Americans. Killed many people.
- Donald Trump

Trump is right to oppose the swap, if for the wrong reasons.

He believes that Griner, who has played in Russia during the WNBA off-season since 2014, really did bring drugs into Russia when she arrived in Moscow on 17 March — “I assume she admitted it without too much force because it is what it is”. Only Trumpian logic can seemingly acknowledge that she may have been tortured by the Kremlin while simultaneously taking its word as bond on the circumstances of her detention.

But the true problem with the deal is that it involves a civilian with no military, intelligence or other government affiliation (i.e. Griner). Going through with this swap would set a dangerous precedent that would put Americans abroad at greater risk.

An ex-Soviet air force officer, Bout is technically serving a 25-year sentence for conspiracy to kill US officials and provide aid to a terrorist group in Colombia. Bout is rumoured to be a close associate of ex-Putin gatekeeper and Rosneft boss Igor Sechin, one of Russia’s most powerful men. Washington arranged a sting operation and subsequently pressured the Thai government to extradite him. He might have made a fine Blackwater executive, but he is in jail because Washington saw him as a threat.

Whelan holds a dishonourable discharge from the US Marine Corps after allegedly stealing from the US Army in Iraq but had a subsequent career in private security, working for automotive supplier BorgWarner. He took increasingly frequent trips to Russia in the years before his detention. It is unsurprising the Kremlin saw him as a threat.

There is no reason to oppose including Whelan in such a swap. Regardless of the denials, in his case a security services’ connection is at least plausible. It is not in Griner’s.

If Washington is willing to countenance releasing Viktor Bout for Griner it risks setting dangerous model for other hostile actors to follow. Mexican cartels will be wondering what they may be able to get for one of the far more famous men’s basketball stars who like to vacation in territory they control. Groups such as the Islamic State may demand the release of their members in exchange for Western detainees.

State hostage-taking may not that commonplace, but the kidnap-for-ransom market is governed by the same overriding principles as any other. Releasing Griner in any spy swap would hand Putin a propaganda victory, weaken US national security and make the world a more dangerous place.

Her story reveals the exploitation of celebrity athletes in diplomatic conflicts, with significant human and political consequences and ongoing implications for justice and international relations.