The supply added that the Russian investigation is ongoing, and a trial date has not been set.
In accordance with Russian authorities, the two-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested on allegations of drug smuggling important quantities of narcotic substance at a Moscow airport. US Rep. Colin Allred of Texas stated she was arrested February 17.
TASS additionally quoted Ekaterina Kalugina, who it stated represented Moscow’s Public Monitoring Fee (ONK), which observes the remedy of prisoners.
A court docket advocate stated Griner needs to be saved underneath home arrest as a result of their jail beds are a foot too quick for Griner, who’s 6 toes 9 inches tall, in keeping with the Russian information service RIA Novosti.
In accordance with TASS, Kalugina visited Griner at her pretrial detention middle. Kalugina was additionally quoted as saying the US consul has not visited the 31-year-old, regardless of Russian authorities’ willingness to “create all situations” for his or her go to.
Earlier this month, Allred informed ESPN that Griner had not been granted consular entry — a circumstance he known as “actually uncommon.”
The US State Division official informed CNN on Thursday that Russia should present consular entry to Griner and all US residents detained in Russia, together with these in pretrial detention.
“We have now repeatedly requested for consular entry to those detainees and have persistently been denied entry,” the official stated. “Russia should abide by its authorized obligations and permit us to offer consular companies for U.S. residents detained in Russia.”
On Wednesday, former first girl and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton grew to become the newest US politician to name for her launch, sharing an article on Griner with the caption “Free Brittney” in a put up on Twitter.
Griner performs for the Russian workforce UMMC Ekaterinburg. Griner has performed with the workforce since 2015 through the WNBA offseason. In 5 video games this season, she has averaged 13.2 factors and 4.2 rebounds per sport.
In 2014, the American Iranian journalist Jason Rezaian was detained in Tehran and spent 544 days in Iran’s infamous Evin Jail.
The Washington Put up reporter was ultimately launched in January 2016, and he says he sees many parallels between his case and Griner’s.
“It is essentially the most audacious hostage taking by a state possible,” Rezaian informed CNN.
“I do know from my very own case that the supposed expenses towards me weren’t based mostly in something like actuality, they usually have been used to perpetuate a story about why I used to be being held.”
Griner’s spouse, Cherelle Griner, has publicly known as for Brittney’s launch.
USA Basketball, the Girls’s Nationwide Basketball Affiliation (WNBA), the Phoenix Mercury and the WNBA gamers’ union have all publicly shared their issues for Griner.
CNN’s Rosa Flores contributed to this report.