WASHINGTON — American basketball star Brittney Griner and her spouse are involved concerning the detainment in Russia of Wall Avenue Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and mentioned “we should do every thing in our energy to deliver him and all Individuals dwelling.”
“Each American who’s taken is ours to combat for and each American returned is a win for us all,” Griner, who was held in Russia for many of final yr, mentioned in a press release with Cherelle Griner posted Saturday night time on Instagram.
Russian safety officers took Gershkovich, 31, into custody on Thursday and accused him of spying. The newspaper denied the cost and demanded his launch.
President Joe Biden on Friday urged Russia to launch Gershkovich, the primary American correspondent to be detained on spying accusations for the reason that Chilly Struggle.
Brittney Griner was detained in Russia for 10 months after being arrested at an airport close to Moscow on drug possession costs. She returned to the U.S. in a prisoner change in December involving Russian arms vendor Viktor Bout.
The Griners mentioned of their assertion they have been grateful for Biden and his administration’s efforts to rescue these being held overseas, noting the latest launch of Jeff Woodke greater than six years after his kidnapping in Niger and Paul Rusesabagina, a U.S. authorized resident, after his imprisonment for greater than two years in Rwanda.
The Griners referred to as on their supporters to encourage the administration to do every thing potential to deliver wrongly detained Individuals dwelling.
With Russia’s Federal Safety Service accusing Gershkovich of attempting to acquire categorized info, greater than 30 information organizations and press freedom advocates have written to Russia’s U.S. ambassador to precise concern Russia is sending the message that reporting contained in the nation is criminalized.
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