CNN
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Eight months after her detention in Moscow, Brittney Griner is celebrating her 32nd birthday in a Russian prison rather than with her family.
The American basketball star posted a message on Tuesday, saying she has been encouraged by the support she has received, according to a statement shared by Maria Blagovolina, partner at law firm Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Dyakin and Partners .
“Thank you all for fighting so hard to bring me home. All the support and love is definitely helping me,” Griner said in his post, according to the statement.
Griner’s lawyers, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, spent a few hours with Griner on Tuesday and sent him many birthday wishes, according to the statement.
The basketball player’s wife Cherelle Griner and others close to the basketball player started the #WeAreBG campaign to pressure the US government and other parties to bring her home.
In a video released as part of the campaign, Cherelle said, “I felt every moment of the grueling seven months without her.”
She thanked those who supported the cause and specifically mentioned Joe Biden saying, “I want to thank President Biden for the administration’s efforts to secure his release.”
Griner was arrested in February upon entering Russia for possession of cannabis oil. The center pleaded guilty to drug charges, saying she accidentally packaged vape cartridges containing cannabis oil while in a hurry.
In August, the eight-time WNBA All-Star was convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison. Next week, his legal team will appeal the decision to the Moscow region court.
Following her arrest, the US State Department classified Griner as wrongfully detained, meaning that regardless of her legal status in Russia, the US government will seek to negotiate her release.
In July, the US government announced it had made a “substantial offer” to bring Griner and Paul Whelan, a former US Marine serving a 16-year sentence in Russia, back to the United States.
But since that announcement, there has been little information about steps being taken to release the two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the US Embassy in Russia has not had consular access to Griner since early August. , State Department spokesman Ned Price confirmed last week.
Griner’s friends and family have sought to renew support and pressure to bring her home with the #WeAreBG campaign.
Her American teammate Breanna Stewart wrote on Twitter: “We are not a family without #BrittneyGriner. It’s time to bring her home. #WeAreBG. Today marks the eighth month of his wrongful detention. She needs her family more than ever. BG – we have not forgotten you and we will only rest when you are home.
The tweet followed a FIBA World Cup win that, if she hadn’t been in jail, Griner would have been a part of.
Stewart, along with Griner’s American teammates and other WNBA players also showed solidarity with the Pheonix Mercury player by boycotting the game in Russia during the WNBA offseason.
Players regularly ply their trade for European teams in the offseason to supplement their WNBA salaries, with many like Griner and Stewart having played for teams in Russia.
But this year, the players chose to play in different European countries instead.
Courtney Vandersloot, who once played with Griner at Russian club Yekaterinburg, said: “The whole situation with BG makes it really hard to think it’s safe for anyone to go back there. this moment.”
Other American athletes like Alex Morgan have shown their support on social media by posting images of themselves wearing an image of Griner on their shirt.
Along with asking people to join the movement and petition to free Griner, the #WeAreBG campaign has also asked people to write notes for Griner as they hope this will be the last birthday she celebrates in prison.
