Brittney Griner Visited by U.S. State Department Officials Thursday

On Thursday, Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said U.S. Embassy officials in Moscow visited Brittney Griner in her Russian prison. 

“They saw firsthand her tenacity and perseverance despite her present circumstances,” Price said in a tweet. “We continue to press for the immediate release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan and fair treatment for every detained American.”

Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February and accused of having hashish oil in her luggage. She pleaded guilty to drug charges in July, adding that she did not intend to break the law, and was convicted in August by a Russian court of smuggling drugs with criminal intent. 

She was charged with nine years in prison and her appeal was rejected Oct. 25. Whelan was detained in December 2018 and sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges in June ’20.

“We are told she’s doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, per CNN.

This is the first time they were allowed to meet with the Mercury star since early August. The U.S. government has reportedly been discussing a potential prisoner exchange with Russia, which would include Whelan. The White House first made an offer July 27. 

“I can also tell you that in the subsequent weeks despite a lack of good faith negotiation by the Russians, the U.S. government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with Russians through all available channels,” Jean-Pierre said. “This continues to be a top priority.”