Couple of Middle East’s ‘Powerful Men’ helped the US rescue Brittney Griner from the Russian penal colony
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Brittney Griner
After being given a nine-year prison sentence, Brittney Griner was still imprisoned in a Russian penal colony as of yesterday. In a remarkable turn of events, she was exchanged for a Russian arms trader named Viktor Bout and released from their custody. A new report claims that two powerful men from the Middle East, though, were essential in completing the trade.
Brittney Griner has spent the past 10 months in custody after cannabis oil was uncovered in her luggage in February at a Moscow airport. In July, Brittney acknowledged the narcotics allegation and indicated to the court she had no desire to break the law. She was given a 9-year prison sentence, and the profound deterioration in relations between Washington and Moscow that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February hindered the campaign to achieve her release.
Finally, after a lengthy duration, Biden and the US administration have succeeded in returning the WNBA star home. Yesterday, the two nations came to an agreement on a one-for-one prisoner swap in return for the release of BG, and in addition, the US government also freed convicted arms trader Viktor Bout. Vivian Salama, a reporter for National Security, recently shared a significant revelation on Twitter.
Salama said that two powerful organizations from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia assisted the US in reaching an agreement for the release of WNBA starlet Brittney Griner. On Twitter, she wrote and shared a statement: “A joint UAE-Saudi statement announces that the UAE President MBZ and Saudi Crown Prince MBS mediated efforts that secured the release of Brittney Griner in a prisoner swap with Russia.”
Who is Brittney Griner and why was she arrested in Russia?
After being selected by the Phoenix Mercury in the first round of the 2013 WNBA Draft, Brittney Griner, a graduate of Baylor University where she earned the Player of the Year Award and a national collegiate title in 2012, joined the league. The 31-year-old, who is regarded as one of the best defensive players in the Women’s National Basketball Association, was named one of the top 25 players in WNBA league history in 2021.
She began her professional career in 2013 with the US women’s national basketball team, and since then, she’s won a WNBA championship, two Olympic gold medals, and two Olympic gold medals. She became well-known for being the first homosexual athlete to sign a million-dollar contract with Nike.
Her arrest took place on February 17 at the Sheremetyevo International Airport on the grounds that she was in possession of hashish oil-filled vape cartridges, which are illegal in that nation, Brittney had been imprisoned by the Russian authorities for 10 months. Like many other female basketball players, Griner competes overseas during the WNBA summer season to increase her earnings and enhance her skills.
Griner was arrested on her way to the UMMC Ekaterinburg team in the Russian Women’s Basketball Premier League. She was subsequently sentenced to 9 years in prison in August despite the fact that her attorney had filed an appeal.
Also Read: How long Brittney Griner was in a Russian jail and what crime did she commit?
Brittney Griner is making her long-awaited return to the US
Prior to her release in a prisoner swap on Thursday, lawyers and former prisoners said Griner likely underwent a regime of confinement, grueling labor, and psychological anguish when she was sent to a penal colony, the replacement for the famed Russian prison.
In order to begin serving a nine-year term imposed by a Moscow court in October, Griner was moved last month to a prison colony more than 200 miles to the east of Moscow.
After an exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout, she was released on Thursday. Until his capture in 2012, Bout, 55, was among the most coveted individuals in the world for providing arms to warlords and rebel groups abroad. A cheerful and animated Bout and Griner could be seen walking toward the planes that would transport them home in footage that was made public by Russian official media.
Also Read: Who is Viktor Bout and why Merchant of Death was swapped for Brittney Griner?
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Irvin Philip
(701 Articles Published)