Brittney Griner Is Freed , After Prisoner Swap , for Russian Arms Dealer.
Brittney Griner Is Freed , After Prisoner Swap , for Russian Arms Dealer.
President Joe Biden announced the
release of the WNBA star on Dec. 8. .
Griner was released in exchange for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Griner was released in exchange for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Bout was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2012.
Biden and Griner's wife, Cherelle, commented on her release from the White House.
[Griner is] safe, she’s on a plane, she’s on her way home, President Joe Biden, via CNN.
After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under untolerable circumstances, President Joe Biden, via CNN.
... Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones, and she should have been there
all along, President Joe Biden, via CNN.
According to Biden, Griner is set to be back home in the U.S. within 24 hours.
She had been detained in Russia for
10 months on drug-related charges.
The announcement was bittersweet for the family of Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia since 2018 on spying charges.
Biden addressed the detainment of Whelan, a person of multi-citizenship, saying that his family was notified of Griner's release before the public.
Biden addressed the detainment of Whelan, a person of multi-citizenship, saying that his family was notified of Griner's release before the public.
This was not a choice of which American to bring home, President Joe Biden, via CNN.
Sadly, for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul’s case differently than Brittney’s. , President Joe Biden, via CNN.
And while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release, we are not giving up.
We will never give up, President Joe Biden, via CNN