After spending months awaiting a decision on her future, Brittney Griner and her camp have been given a brutal news update. The Russian judiciary rejected her latest appeal on the 25th of October and upheld its decision. Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison following her controversial arrest earlier this year.
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She is currently undergoing the process of being transferred to a penal colony. However, considering her nationality, there will be a lot more hardships than usual, in store for her. Talking about the issue, a lawyer expressed his concern about the basketball star.
Brittney Griner will endure a grueling transfer process
Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner has the whole world talking about her. She was arrested by officials in an airport near Moscow in February. They detained Griner after discovering vape cartridges containing illegal drugs in her belongings.
Life in Russia hasn’t been kind to her. She has spent over 200 days in prison and will be transferred to a Russian penal colony soon. However, Griner’s lawyers or her family members have no idea about the location.
Moreover, considering the complexity and the attention surrounding her case, the process will take longer than usual. Talking about the Griner situation, a lawyer said, “We currently don’t know where she is or where she is heading to. After some time, the exact place where she is kept will be disclosed, the law obliges the government to notify relatives. But since she is a foreigner, it may take longer.”
Although the location is not yet disclosed, considering the geography of the penal network, a likely destination is Serbia or the Russian Far East. The inmates are often transferred through crowded trains which has many stops. According to a report from Amnesty International, the “journeys can last as long as a month.“
Harsh living conditions await Griner
Following her latest appeal rejection by the judiciary, a prisoner swap deal remains Griner’s only hope to return back to the United States of America. However, since negotiations have been tough and slow, she will have to abide by the law for now.
Griner will be spending nine years in a Russian prison. According to a report, prisoners are made to work 17 hours a day with sleep deprivation, coupled with the lack of basic hygiene, and the chance of potential assault on prisoners.
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