WNBA superstar and Olympic Gold Medalist, Brittney Griner, has been wrongfully detained in Russia for 117 days.
That number will continue to rise as a Moscow court has extended her pre-trial detention to at least July 2nd, according to Russian state media outlet TASS.
TASS is also reporting that, according to a representative from the Khimki Court of the Moscow Region, Griner’s detention was extended for another 18 days at “the request of the investigation.”
This comes after the Phoenix Mercury met with members of the United States Department of State to be updated on Brittany Griner’s detention in Russia.
She was initially detained on February 17 when authorities said they found hashish oil vape cartridges in her luggage, about one week before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Across the country, calls for her release have continued to get louder and more frequent:
Brittney’s wife, Cherelle Griner, said she hasn’t spoken to Brittney since she got her cellphone confiscated after her arrest, but they’ve exchanged a few letters.
Cherelle added that Brittney has seen the national support and it has given her some comfort in this difficult time.
“Every single day matters for me to be sound, for me to be alert, for me to be attentive, to make sure that she comes back,” Cherelle told Good Morning America.
Eliav Gabay
