US officials to negotiate Brittney Griner’s release from 'wrongful' detention in Russia

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(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. government now considers WNBA star Brittney Griner to be “wrongfully detained” in Russia, the State Department said.

“The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is among the highest priorities of the U.S government. The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner,” a department spokesperson told ABC News on Tuesday. “With this determination, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens will lead the interagency team for securing Brittney Griner’s release.”

With this classification, the U.S. will now be more involved in negotiating for her