WNBA star Brittney Griner was released from prison in Russia after 10 months Thursday following a prisoner swap for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer, CBS News reported.
Why was Brittney Griner imprisoned?
Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison by a Russian court in August of this year for allegedly smuggling less than a gram of hashish oil into the country, the Deseret News previously reported.
The United States State Department considered Griner to be “wrongfully detained,”
Who is Viktor Bout?
Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer nicknamed the “Merchant of Death,” was released from U.S. custody in a prisoner exchange in Abu-Dhabi on Thursday.
Bout was previously sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges of “conspiring to kill Americans, acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles, and provide material support to a terrorist organization” per CNN.
What did President Biden say?
President Biden met with Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, Thursday morning. In a tweet, Biden confirmed that he had spoken on the phone with Griner and that she was safe on a plane.
What will happen to Brittney Griner next?
According to CBS News, Griner will undergo a medical evaluation after she returns home.
In a press conference, Cherelle Griner said she and Brittney will advocate for other wrongfully detained prisoners such as former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who has been in Russian custody for four years.