U.S. State Division officers say they haven’t had entry to Brittney Griner since she was arrested on the airport in Moscow on Feb. 17 for allegedly having hashish oil in her suitcase.
Lastly, after one month, a State Dept official issued an announcement Thursday saying, “We insist the Russian authorities present consular entry to all U.S. citizen detainees in Russia, together with these in pre-trial detention, as Brittney Griner is.”
Apart from a photograph of the WNBA All-Star holding up a bit of paper along with her identify on it launched by Russian authorities on March 8, not a lot else has been heard about her detention till Thursday when the Russian information company Tass reported {that a} Moscow court docket prolonged her arrest till Might 19.
The State Deptartment’s insistence that Russia present entry to Griner marks a particular change in tone. Up till now, the federal government has maintained a low profile along with her case. Some say the authorities’s technique is to not enhance her profile to the purpose the place she would possibly change into a worthwhile political asset to Russia whereas others regard the federal government’s inaction as indifference.
Highly effective Cultural Image
ESPN investigative reporter T.J. Quinn mentioned that restricted response from the WNBA, the Biden administration and even Griner’s household might be deliberate. The absence of a highlight and extreme media consideration, mentioned Quinn of the ESPN Each day podcast, would possibly properly be working in Griner’s favor.
“Individuals round Brittney and the U.S. authorities know that if you happen to make too huge a deal of it right here, you not solely danger bringing consideration to it, however you add worth to her as an asset.”
And if the notion is that Griner is a strong cultural image, Quinn famous, Russian President Putin may resolve to make an instance of her.
In the meantime, the State Dept. says it is on the ball. “We’re intently engaged on this case and in frequent contact with Brittney Griner’s authorized workforce … We’ve repeatedly requested for consular entry to those detainees and have constantly been denied entry.”
