The 9-year prison sentence handed to Brittney Griner was upheld a few weeks ago. Griner’s lawyer has given insight into her daily routine behind bars.
While initially, the place where she’ll do her time was uncertain, it was made public now. Pictures below in the article.
Her lawyer says that Griner is coping with her situation as best she can, but the reality is that prison is a tough place to be.
In her closing statement, Griner pleaded with the court, “I had no intention of hurting anyone. I never intended to endanger the Russian people. I didn’t intend to violate any laws here. I hope your decision won’t result at the end of my life in this place because I made an honest error.”
The court gave Griner a 1 million ruble ($16,300) fine. Although they are not the only ones, the US government is attempting to bring Griner back home. Kyrie Irving, a professional basketball player, has also urged Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden to provide additional details.
Irving and former NFL player Robert Griffin have also spoken out in favor of Griner on this subject. Many people are worried about the WNBA player’s welfare and want to know what’s going on, as seen by the outpouring of support for her.
The prison is located in the Mordovia region of central Russia and is every bit as horrible as it sounds. The snow-covered, gloomy structure is much worse than the typical prison you may find in the United States.
According to reports, the structure is surrounded by barbed wire, has a rat infestation, and is home to some diseases that put the prisoners at risk.
Political activist and former prisoner Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has written about the conditions there, particularly the long work hours (17 hours per day) and the little time off (1 day every two months).
She admitted living with mice and rats to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty. “There were designated poles for this, but you had to knock before entering the restroom to encourage the rats to disperse.”
According to CNN, Griner stated her attorney Maria Blagovolina thanked everyone for their efforts in bringing her home. “All the love and support are undoubtedly assisting me.”
Her lawyers vehemently contended that her offense did not warrant the prison term she received. However, they admitted that they did not “expect any miracles to happen” and did not expect to win the court hearing.
Alexander Boykov, Griner’s attorney, has since shared information regarding her everyday activities while detained. According to her, the lights are turned out, and the television is turned off at around 10 p.m.