US State Department demands Russia access to jailed WNBA star Brittney Griner

By Maureen Meehan

US State Department officials say they have not had access to Brittney Griner since she was arrested at Moscow airport on February 17 for allegedly having cannabis oil in her suitcase.

Finally, after a month, a State Department official issued a statement Thursday that said, “We insist that the Russian government grant consular access to all U.S. citizens detained in Russia, including those posing as Brittney Griner.” are in custody.”

Photo by Tinnakorn Jorruang/Getty Images

Aside from a photo of the WNBA All-Star holding up a piece of paper with her name on it, released March 8 by Russian authorities, not much is known about her detention as of Thursday, when Russia’s Tass news agency reported hear court extended her detention until May 19.

The State Department’s insistence that Russia grant access to Griner marks a clear shift in tone. So far, the government has kept quiet about their case. Some say the government’s strategy is not to raise its profile to the point where it could become a valuable political asset for Russia, while others see the government’s inaction as indifference.

Powerful cultural symbol

ESPN investigative reporter TJ Quinn said the limited response from the WNBA, the Biden administration, and even Griner’s family could be deliberate. The lack of a spotlight and excessive media attention, Quinn said on the ESPN Daily podcast, could well work in Griner’s favor.

“People around Brittney and the US government know that if you make too much of this here, you not only risk drawing attention to it, you also add value to it.”

And if Griner is a strong cultural symbol, Quinn noted, Russian President Putin might choose to make an example of her.

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Meanwhile, the State Department says it is on the ball. “We are closely involved in this case and are in frequent contact with Brittney Griner’s legal team…We have repeatedly requested consular access to these detainees and have consistently been denied access.”

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.