Brittney Griner’s family thanks her for returning, prays for Paul Whelan

Brittney Griner’s family prayed for the former U.S. marine languishing in a Russian prison and thanked the Biden administration for securing the WNBA star’s release.

Griner, 32, was released by Russia on Thursday after over ten months in captivity as part of a prisoner swap with the United States for the notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, sometimes known as the “Merchant of Death.”

The Griner family issued a statement expressing their thanks to President Biden and his administration for their relentless efforts to bring Brittney home.

Critics believed the Biden administration made a mistake by abandoning 53-year-old former marine Paul Whelan, who has been in a Russian prison for over four years.

Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, tweeted, “Leaving Paul Whelan out of this [agreement] is inexcusable.”

Brittney Griner’s flight to the United States on Thursday, December 8th.

The Griner family acknowledged the suffering of his family and expressed their prayers for him.

“We truly thank everyone for their kind words, thoughts, and prayers, especially Paul and the Whelan family, who have been so generous with their support for Brittney and our family during this difficult time,” they wrote in a statement. “We pray for Paul and the safe and speedy return of all Americans unlawfully incarcerated.”

Griner was arrested on February 17 at a Russian airport for possessing vape cartridges containing less than one milligram of cannabis oil.

Whelan was detained on December 28, 2018 and found guilty of espionage in 2020. He is currently serving a 16-year sentence for a crime he denies committing and which US officials have deemed to be without merit.

A family statement from the Griners.

CNN quoted Whelan as saying, “I am quite upset that more has not been done to obtain my release, especially as the fourth anniversary of my detention approaches.”

“My luggage is packed. I’m eager to return home. I only require a plane to come and fetch me.”

In an interview with CNN, his brother David Whelan expressed his joy at Griner’s release, but expressed concern for Paul Whelan’s mental health.

David Whelan stated, “I can’t suppose he still has any expectation that a government will negotiate his freedom at this time.”

“It is evident that the US government has no compromises for Paul Whelan that the Russian government will accept.

Therefore, Paul will remain incarcerated until that changes.”

Given Bout’s misdeeds, the bargain, which took place on the tarmac of an Abu Dhabi airport, was criticized by lawmakers and experts as being unfair.

Thursday’s conversation between Griner and Viktor Bout on a tarmac in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

John Bolton, former White House national security advisor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, described the exchange as “a capitulation” that will put American tourists at risk in the future.

This is hardly a bargain. This is not an exchange. This is a capitulation, he said CBS News.

The 55-year-old Bout was caught in 2008 and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2012 for conspiring to sell surface-to-air missiles and more than 20,000 AK-47 rifles to Marxist insurgents in Colombia.

The United States released Viktor Bout in exchange for Brittney Griner.
ZUMAPRESS.com

He was dubbed “international arms trafficking’s number one opponent.”

The Griner family concluded their message by requesting privacy as they “begin this journey of recovery.”

»Brittney Griner’s family thanks her for returning, prays for Paul Whelan«

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