Griner’s representatives released excerpts of the letter, in which the professional basketball player said she was “terrified” that she may never leave Russia. “As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey or any achievement, I fear I may be here forever,” the player wrote by Phoenix Mercury. “On the 4th of July, our family usually honors the services of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a veteran of the Vietnam War. It pains me to think about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year,” she added. Griner, 31, has been detained in Russia since mid-February, when officials claimed to have discovered hashish oil vapor cartridges in her luggage while traveling through Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. She was in the country to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg, the Russian professional women’s team where she spends the WNBA offseason. Days after Griner’s arrest, Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, which has strained diplomatic relations with the United States and other Western countries, with Biden and other world leaders imposing sanctions on Moscow. Griner’s trial began Friday. He faces up to ten years in prison. In her letter, the player told Biden that she voted for him in the 2020 presidential election and asked that he also work to help free other people held in foreign countries. “I understand you are dealing with so much, but please don’t forget about me and the other American prisoners. Do what you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I have still so much to do with my freedom that you can help restore,” he wrote. “I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for anything you can do right now to bring me home,” he added. Last week, Griner’s wife, Cheryl Griner, told CNN that the basketball player was forced into a small cage for hours on end every time she had to appear in court. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said late last month that Griner was not being held “hostage,” but offered no timetable for her possible release. “He violated Russian law and is now being prosecuted,” he told NBC News. “It’s not about being held hostage. There are a lot of American citizens here. They enjoy their freedoms … but you have to obey the laws.” Adrienne Watson, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, said Monday in a statement that the administration is working to secure Griner’s freedom.
