Brittney Griner was moved over 200 miles outdoors Moscow, attorneys say

WNBA star Brittney Griner was relocated to a penal colony in Mordovia, about 210 miles east of Moscow, to serve her nine-year sentence, her attorneys and agent stated Thursday.

Griner’s attorneys, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, had introduced final week that the WNBA star had been transferred to a Russian penal colony however that they didn’t know her vacation spot on the time.

“Brittney is doing in addition to may very well be anticipated and attempting to remain robust as she adapts to a brand new setting,” her attorneys stated in an announcement, noting that that they had visited along with her earlier this week.

Griner’s agent, Lindsay Colas, stated the Phoenix Mercury middle was “attempting to remain robust” amid the circumstances.

“Regardless of the actual fact she is alone and now nearing her ninth month in detention separated from her family members, she is attempting to remain robust,” Colas stated in an announcement. “Right now, we is not going to be sharing any additional particulars, however wish to categorical our deepest due to the Biden Administration, the Richardson Heart, and to everybody who has reached out to supply phrases of encouragement to her.”

Griner’s household had dreaded her impending transfer to a penal colony ever for the reason that attraction of her conviction was denied Oct. 25. Russian penal colonies are recognized for having far harsher circumstances than the Moscow jail the place Griner has been since she was detained in February.

Griner pleaded responsible to drug smuggling expenses in July following her arrest at a Moscow-area airport Feb. 17, when she was discovered with vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil whereas attempting to enter Russia to hitch her membership staff in Ekaterinburg. At her trial, Griner admitted to having the canisters in her baggage however testified she packed them inadvertently in her haste to make her flight and had no prison intent. Her protection staff offered written statements saying she had been prescribed hashish to deal with continual ache.

She was given her nine-year sentence in August earlier than dropping her attraction final month.

U.S. officers declared in Could that Griner was being wrongfully detained and have referred to as her trial and attraction political theater. The Biden administration has been attempting for months to barter the discharge of Griner and one other American jailed in Russia, Michigan company safety govt Paul Whelan. Whelan was additionally despatched to a penal colony in Mordovia after being convicted of espionage-related expenses in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in jail.

Data from ESPN’s T.J. Quinn and The Related Press was used on this report.