Louder Calls to Free Brittney Griner

Kim Kardashian called on her 322 million followers to echo the call to #FreeBrittneyGriner. Meanwhile, UConn Basketball Star Paige Bueckers closed a recent TV interview with ESPN with the same call to free Brittney Griner from wrongful detention.

Kim and Paige are only two of the growing number of athletes, celebrities, and personalities calling on the Biden administration to help negotiate the safe return of US basketball star Brittney Griner.

The crescendo of calls came after Brittney Griner’s handwritten letter addressed to President Biden said that she is fearful that the president has already forgotten about her and other Americans detainees.

@paigebueckers1 closes out her interview with @malika_andrews with a powerful message on Brittney Griner:

"Whatever it takes to get her home … I think it's definitely time." pic.twitter.com/jf89kBOFi9

— ESPN (@espn) July 5, 2022

“I’m terrified I might be here forever,” Griner wrote. “On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran. It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year.”

Griner has been held by Russian authorities on charges of large-scale transportation of drugs. February this year, Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport for allegedly bringing cannabis oil in her luggage. Her trial resumes July 7, 2022, and she may face 10 years of prison in a foreign country if deemed guilty.

In an interview with CBS, Griner’s wife, Cherelle said she doesn’t believe that the allegations against her wife are true.

Cherelle also said that she’s disheartened that Brittney has not yet heard anything from President Biden.

“It kills me every time that, you know, when I have to write her and she’s asking, ‘Have you met with them yet?’ And I have to say no… I’m sure she is like ‘I’m going to write him and ask now because my family has tried to no avail, so I’m going to do it myself,’” Cherelle said.

The U.S. State Department believes Brittney Griner has been wrongfully detained, and it has been roughly five months since her arrest.

“The U.S. government will continue to undertake efforts to provide appropriate support to Ms. Griner,” the department said back in May.