Brittney Griner: Will a 'controversial' double prisoner swap help USA free WNBA star?

American basketball player Brittney Griner is being linked with a Washinton Post report that claims that Russia has confirmed that negotiations for a possible prisoner exchange involving Griner are alrey underway. Recognized as one of greatest players in history of WNBA, Griner was detained on February 17 in Moscow, as police said y found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her lugg. Griner has been competing in Russia since 2014 and was returning to country before getting detained. 

Brittney Griner has been sentenced to nine years in prison

On August 4, Griner was convicted of drug possession and smuggling, which led to a sentence of nine years in prison. politically charged scene furr ded to high tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken n revealed that y are urging Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to accept a prisoner swap deal that will see Griner alongside Paul Whelan, an American jailed in Russia on espion, being set free. 

At same time, swap deal will also see United States (US) setting free Viktor Bout. If swap deal doesn’t pull through, Griner will face nine years in prison for drug possession and smuggling. However, Washington Post report about deal getting underway comes as welcome news for American nationals.

What has been said so far?

If reports turn out to be true, it would be first time that Russia confirmed potential prisoner swap being started. As reported by Associated Press, Lavrov and Blinken were in Cambodia last week for a meeting of Association of Souast Asian Nations. Speaking to reporters after meeting, Lavrov revealed that Blinken didn’t try to make any kind of contact during ASEAN meeting. 

“We were separated by just one person at discussion table, but I didn’t feel his desire to catch me. My buttons are all in place,” Russian Foreign Minister said. He furr ded that Moscow is rey to discuss prisoner swap, given that discussions take place via a dedicated Russia-U.S. channel. “If Americans again try to eng in public diplomacy and make loud statements about ir intention to take certain steps, it’s ir business, I would even say ir problem. Americans often have trouble observing agreements on calm and professional work,” he ded.

On or hand, Blinken also shed light on controversial arrest of Griner when she was returning to play in Russia. Blinken referred to Griner getting a prison sentence of nine years and said this “compounds injustice that has been done to her”. “It puts a spotlight on our very significant concern with Russia’s legal system and Russian government’s use of wrongful detentions to vance its own nda using individuals as political pawns,” Blinken ded.