Brittany Griner: Russia has released basketball star Brittany Griner. He was released in a prisoner exchange with the US. She can now go to her home in America. In exchange for Brittany Grieger, the US has released arms dealer Victor Bout, who was serving a 25-year prison sentence in the US. It is worth mentioning that on hearing the news of Britney’s release, American officials, supporters and fans of Griner heaved a sigh of relief.
Russian news agencies reported that the exchange took place on Thursday at Abu Dhabi airport in the United Arab Emirates. US President Joe Biden said Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was “going home”. Sharing a picture of Griner, he wrote on Twitter, “He is absolutely safe.”
American officials welcomed Griner
Confirming the exchange, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the bout had been sent home. Russian media also shared a video in which Brittany Griner was seen getting off the Russian plane in Abu Dhabi. American officials welcomed their basketball star at Abu Dhabi airport. On the other hand, Victor Bout, who was called the ‘merchant of death’, was greeted by two Russian officers hugging him for his release.
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was arrested in Moscow
The 32-year-old Griner, a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, was arrested at the Moscow airport on February 17. Cartridges containing cannabis oil banned in Russia were found in his bag. After this, the Biden administration said that Brittany Griner was wrongly detained.
was sentenced to 9 years
During the time Britney Griner was in Russia’s custody, her supporters and relatives in America put pressure on the government for her release and demonstrated several times. On August 4, Britney was sentenced to 9 years in prison on charges of drug possession and trafficking. Griner’s attorneys called the sentence excessive and insisted that it was “not commensurate with the seriousness of the crime.”
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