Russia Frees US Basketball Star Brittney Griner In Prisoner Swap With Arms Dealer Viktor Bout: Report

Brittney Griner had been in detention in Russia since February, when two cartridges, with small amounts of cannabis oil, were found in her luggage in Moscow.

US basketball star Brittney Griner

New Delhi: US basketball star Brittney Griner was released from Russian prison on Thursday in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was held in US prison for 12 years, news agency Reuters reported.

Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, was in the Russian prison after being convicted of possessing and smuggling narcotics.

US President Joe Biden said Griner was safe and on a flight home from the United Arab Emirates. "I'm glad to say Brittney's in good spirits... she needs time and space to recover," he said at the White House.

It is to be noted that Brittney Griner had been in detention in Russia since February, when two vape cartridges, with small amounts of cannabis oil, were found in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.

While Griner pleaded guilty, she said she had carried the cannabis unintentionally as she had packed in a hurry.

Russia's foreign ministry confirmed the swap and said “The Russian citizen has been returned to his homeland.”

The US government, willing to free Bout, nicknamed ‘the merchant of death’, charged with trying to sell arms to be used against the country, hints at the rising pressure that his administration has faced to get Griner home.

Notably, Brittney Griner’s case got unprecedented attention as she is a high-profile, black, gay athlete, and her detention in a country, that is often hostile towards the LGBTQ community, triggered widespread concern.

Earlier in November, Griner had lost her appeal against her drug conviction and was thereafter moved out of a Moscow detention centre to a penal colony.

Russian penal colonies are known for their harsh treatment of the inmates and unhygienic conditions.

Conditions in penal colonies are said to be a lot worse than detention centres.

According to a report by news agency AFP, abuse and torture are frequent in these penal colonies.