The U.S. State Department has now classified Brittney Griner as being “wrongfully detained” in Russia following her March arrest, according to an email sent to @ESPN.
“The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is among the highest priorities of the U.S. government,” the State Department said. “The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner. The U.S. government said it will “continue to undertake efforts to provide appropriate support to Ms. Griner.”
Now that Griner’s arrest has been classified in this way, this means that the U.S. government will no longer wait for her case to play out through the Russian legal system and will seek to negotiate her return.
Griner has not been formally charged, but is still scheduled to have a hearing on May 19. The U.S.’s classification doesn’t mean that Russia will change its official stance on her detainment, but it does mean that the U.S. considers the legal proceedings to be irrelevant to her case.
We are offering continued prayers and support for Brittney to get home! #BWLM💕
