What's next for Brittney Griner amid Russian penal colony transfer?


As her family feared, Brittney Griner is being moved to a Russian penal colony after her nine-year drug conviction was upheld by a court last month.
The WNBA star's lawyers confirmed to CNN that she is "now on her way" to a penal colony in Russia, though they don't know where she is right now or where she's going. "Notification is given via official mail and normally takes up to two weeks to be received," they said. Griner was arrested in Feb. 2022 for having cannabis oil cartridges in her luggage, and a Russian court sentenced to her nine years in prison following what Secretary of State Antony Blinken described as a "sham trial."
At Russian penal colonies, which are notorious for harsh conditions, "inmates are housed in barracks instead of cells and are often put to work," CNN explains. The State Department says that in Russia, "Conditions in prisons and detention centers varied but were often harsh and life threatening."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The White House is facing increased pressure to secure Griner's release after proposing a prisoner swap in July. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that the White House "made a significant offer" to Russia and has continued to propose "alternative potential ways forward," despite the country's "lack of good faith negotiation."
The New York Times notes that Russian officials "have indicated that a prisoner swap process could not begin in earnest until all legal due process had been fulfilled," and this transfer means "all legal procedures have now been completed."
ESPN also writes that officials have hoped Russia "would be more inclined to negotiate in good faith" after the end of Tuesday's midterm elections, believing Russian President Vladimir Putin's government "would not want to give President Joe Biden a potential political victory." Indeed, President Biden in a news conference Wednesday expressed hope that Putin will be willing to talk "more seriously" about prison exchanges "now that the election is over."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Why social media is obsessed with cortisol
In The Spotlight Wellness trend is the latest response to an increasingly maligned hormone
-
Peter Mandelson called Epstein his 'best pal' in birthday note
Speed Read The UK's ambassador to Washington described the late convicted paedophile as an 'intelligent, sharp-witted man'
-
A Spinal Tap reunion, Thomas Pynchon by way of Paul Thomas Anderson and a harrowing Stephen King adaptation in September movies
the week recommends This month's new releases include 'Spinal Tap II,' 'One Battle After Another' and 'The Long Walk'
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government building
Speed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
'Axis of upheaval': will China summit cement new world order?
Today's Big Question Xi calls on anti-US alliance to cooperate in new China-led global system – but fault lines remain
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to US
Speed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump