Hillary Clinton is joining in on calls to bring home Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner.
The former First Lady and Secretary of State tweeted out “Free Brittney” along with an article about Griner from the BBC on Wednesday following Griner’s arrest in Russia.
Free Brittney. https://t.co/wqQrye2T3J
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 16, 2022
Though the message is a play on the #FreeBrittney movement surrounding pop star Britney Spears, Clinton is now one of the most prominent officials to speak out to try and help Griner.
Griner was arrested last month in a Moscow airport after authorities allegedly found hashish oil vape cartridges in her bags. It’s unknown when Griner was actually arrested, but it could have been up to a month before it was made public.
There are fears that Griner is being used as a “high-profile hostage,” especially considering Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Griner, 31, is a seven-time WNBA All-Star with the Mercury, and has helped the United States win a pair of Olympic gold medals. She, like countless other WNBA players, also plays for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian Premier League during the WNBA offseason.
If convicted, Griner could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison in Russia. Her location, other than that she is currently in Russian police custody, is currently unknown. It’s also unclear what is being done specifically to try and get Griner back to the United States, though several officials have pledged to help.
“We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA,” Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, said in a statement. “As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern.”
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