Should U.S. Swap ‘Merchant of Death’ for Brittney Griner?

#1,476
#1,476
She should have played basketball, then she would have gotten a free private jet flight home.

US teacher speaks out after release from Russia the same day as Brittney Griner

Krivanek disputes that claim and says that she was put on a commercial flight by deportation center agents from Russia and had to sign paperwork that required her to repay the U.S. government for the travel costs. She said she was given only $100 in cash and was forced to travel alone. She also said didn’t hear from anyone from the U.S. government throughout her imprisonment and after her arrest at the airport only met officials in her single deportation hearing.
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#1,477
#1,477
'He is rotting': Family of American mprisoned in UAE 'dungeon' prison for 15 years say he was Overlooked For Brittney Griner - as they claim his infected flesh had to be cut away after sitting in clothes that have never been washed

The family of an American businessman imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates for the last 15 years say he is rotting in a 'dungeon' prison - diseased with a flesh-eating infection and near death - and claim the US overlooked him for WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Zack Shahin, 58, is serving a 53-year-prison sentence on charges of fraud, embezzlement and other financial crimes. His heartbroken family insists he is innocent and is being illegally detained for crimes that are false and politically motivated as they continue to desperately fight for his release.

Shahin's health has been deteriorating as he battles an infection in his lungs and rotting flesh and skin sores, as his family believes his condition is far worse than they know. Nearly three months ago, his condition became so grave he was transported to a Dubai hospital where he had numerous surgeries but they were unsuccessful.

The family submitted mercy letters to the State Department on November 23, 2022 and after several revisions they were sent to the UAE December 6.

But, while this was taking place the Shahin's were unaware that the US had been negotiating the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner - who was released from a Russian prison December 8, 2022 after the US reached a deal returning international arms dealer, Viktor Bout - that the UAE helped facilitate.

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Zack Shahin pictured with his two children has been in a Dubai prison for 15 years. His son Ramy told Fox News 'they completely abandoned us … they completely pushed us to the side.' 'Maybe we're not newsworthy enough for them — we're not famous, we're just an ordinary family — and they just left us'

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Brittney Griner was released on December 8, 2022 from a Russian prison after the US reached a prisoner swap deal returning international arms dealer Viktor Bout. After President Biden gave final approval, the swap took place in the UAE after an agreement had been made

Family of American imprisoned in UAE prison 15 years claims US abandoned him for Brittney Griner | Daily Mail Online
 
#1,478
#1,478
Our son is a Forgotten American hostage suffering in a Russian labor prison

Imagine you spend each day in a foreign country surrounded by people who speak a language you don’t understand.

You work long hours in a factory, not by choice, then return to a room — a small confined space with a hole in the floor for a toilet and bars and guards who ensure you stay there.

You don’t sleep well because the floor is more comfortable than the iron bed.

Your health is in decline.

You had a stroke last fall and the care you receive isn’t “care” at all.

You did nothing that warrants your present circumstances.

You shouldn’t be there.

About two dozen Americans are in Russian prisons or penal colonies — repurposed Soviet gulag labor camps built in the 1930s.



NYPICHPDPICT000008733048.jpg

Jimmy Wilgus has been held prisoner in a penal colony in Mordovia, Russia for the last 6 years.

Our son is a forgotten American hostage suffering in Russian
 
#1,479
#1,479
Franklin Pierce said:
Our son is a Forgotten American hostage suffering in a Russian labor prison

Imagine you spend each day in a foreign country surrounded by people who speak a language you don’t understand.

You work long hours in a factory, not by choice, then return to a room — a small confined space with a hole in the floor for a toilet and bars and guards who ensure you stay there.

You don’t sleep well because the floor is more comfortable than the iron bed.

Your health is in decline.

You had a stroke last fall and the care you receive isn’t “care” at all.

You did nothing that warrants your present circumstances.

You shouldn’t be there.

About two dozen Americans are in Russian prisons or penal colonies — repurposed Soviet gulag labor camps built in the 1930s.



NYPICHPDPICT000008733048.jpg

Jimmy Wilgus has been held prisoner in a penal colony in Mordovia, Russia for the last 6 years.

Our son is a forgotten American hostage suffering in Russian
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Let's Go Brandon
 
#1,480
#1,480
Franklin Pierce said:
Our son is a Forgotten American hostage suffering in a Russian labor prison

Imagine you spend each day in a foreign country surrounded by people who speak a language you don’t understand.

You work long hours in a factory, not by choice, then return to a room — a small confined space with a hole in the floor for a toilet and bars and guards who ensure you stay there.

You don’t sleep well because the floor is more comfortable than the iron bed.

Your health is in decline.

You had a stroke last fall and the care you receive isn’t “care” at all.

You did nothing that warrants your present circumstances.

You shouldn’t be there.

About two dozen Americans are in Russian prisons or penal colonies — repurposed Soviet gulag labor camps built in the 1930s.



NYPICHPDPICT000008733048.jpg

Jimmy Wilgus has been held prisoner in a penal colony in Mordovia, Russia for the last 6 years.

Our son is a forgotten American hostage suffering in Russian
Click to expand...

Sad in so many ways.
 
#1,482
#1,482
Looks like Putin played Biden like a fiddle.

“The deal was originally when the arms dealer from Russia was released that it was supposed to be Griner, the athlete, and Paul Whelan,” Rep. McCaul revealed this week during an appearance on CNN, according to TMZ. “When they got to the point of the handoff, they call it, the Russians only showed up with one of the hostages, and that was Griner. And unfortunately, the Marine, Paul Whelan, was left behind.”
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People furious at Joe Biden over horrible Brittney Griner trade news
 
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#1,483
#1,483
'If he was an NBA player, he'd be home': Family of Texas man waiting EXECUTION in China say Biden is 'cherry picking' high profile cases - as Ted Cruz calls for him to be freed 10 years after he was jailed on 'bogus' drug charges

The family of a Texas man awaiting execution in China ten years after he was arrested on bogus charges say President Biden is 'cherry picking' high profile cases to wade into like Brittney Griner's and Trevor Reed's.

Mark Swidan was arrested in China in 2012 after telling his mother he was traveling to buy cheap furniture for his home in Houston. He was arrested in his hotel room on suspicion of working with the cartel to make methamphetamine.

Swidan has always denied the allegations. He was sentenced to death in 2019 and earlier this month, lost an appeal on the sentence.

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Mark Swidan was arrested in China in 2012 after telling his mother he was traveling to buy cheap furniture for his home in Houston. He was arrested in his hotel room on suspicion of working with the cartel to make methamphetamine but the UN Human Rights Council says he is being arbitrarily held

In an interview with NewsNation, his mother Katherine says she has never once heard from the White House or President Biden.

Unlike in the cases of WNBA star Brittney Griner, ex-Marine Trevor Reed or Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, no one from the Biden administration has intervened to try to secure his release.

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NBA star Brittney Griner was freed after the Biden administration stepped in to release her from Russian custody

Actor Mel Gibson has also made an impassioned plea for Swidan's return.

Ted Cruz joins calls for China to release American Mark Swidan | Daily Mail Online
 
#1,484
#1,484
Franklin Pierce said:
'If he was an NBA player, he'd be home': Family of Texas man waiting EXECUTION in China say Biden is 'cherry picking' high profile cases - as Ted Cruz calls for him to be freed 10 years after he was jailed on 'bogus' drug charges

The family of a Texas man awaiting execution in China ten years after he was arrested on bogus charges say President Biden is 'cherry picking' high profile cases to wade into like Brittney Griner's and Trevor Reed's.

Mark Swidan was arrested in China in 2012 after telling his mother he was traveling to buy cheap furniture for his home in Houston. He was arrested in his hotel room on suspicion of working with the cartel to make methamphetamine.

Swidan has always denied the allegations. He was sentenced to death in 2019 and earlier this month, lost an appeal on the sentence.

70319993-12022089-Mark_Swidan_was_arrested_in_China_in_2012_after_telling_his_moth-m-30_1682629346171.jpg

Mark Swidan was arrested in China in 2012 after telling his mother he was traveling to buy cheap furniture for his home in Houston. He was arrested in his hotel room on suspicion of working with the cartel to make methamphetamine but the UN Human Rights Council says he is being arbitrarily held

In an interview with NewsNation, his mother Katherine says she has never once heard from the White House or President Biden.

Unlike in the cases of WNBA star Brittney Griner, ex-Marine Trevor Reed or Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, no one from the Biden administration has intervened to try to secure his release.

70323045-12022089-image-m-33_1682629887349.jpg

NBA star Brittney Griner was freed after the Biden administration stepped in to release her from Russian custody

Actor Mel Gibson has also made an impassioned plea for Swidan's return.

Ted Cruz joins calls for China to release American Mark Swidan | Daily Mail Online
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Going to China to buy cheap furniture in person and then have it shipped halfway around the world? Would you save anything in the end? Probably $10k cost + prices of furniture
 
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#1,487
#1,487
After 'whirlwind' stops, Griner seeks to Leverage 'bigger' platform for good

PHOENIX -- After spending a few days mingling with a who's who of A-list celebrities, Mercury star Brittney Griner said Wednesday that the product of her newfound fame can be "a little overwhelming" at times but is also something she is embracing as a "bigger" platform to help others.

Griner shared her feelings during the Mercury's media day on Wednesday in Phoenix, which came a couple days after attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington D.C. on Saturday night and the Met Gala in New York City on Monday night. In both places, Griner was a celebrity in her own right, meeting everyone from President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to Usher to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Griner resolves to use 'bigger' platform for good
 
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'What about the Merchant of Death?': Drug-smuggling WNBA star Brittney Griner is Heckled About Russian Prisoner Wwap by conservative influencer at DFW airport and asked if she still wants to Boycott America

Brittney Griner has been heckled about a prisoner swap which saw a notorious arms dealer handed over to Russia so she could be freed after smuggling weed into Moscow.

The WNBA star, 32, was confronted by conservative YouTube star Alex Stein at Dallas Fort-Worth Airport Saturday.

Stein said: 'Hey Britt, do you still wanna... do you still wanna boycott America?

'What about the Merchant of Death, Brittney?'

Moment Brittney Griner is HECKLED over drug smuggling prisoner swap at Dallas airport | Daily Mail Online
 
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Bill Richardson dead at 75: Brittney Griner's management pay tribute to 'true partner' in helping securing Her Release from Russian penal colony​

Brittney Griner's representatives, the Los Angeles media group Wasserman, have paid tribute to former UN ambassador and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson after he died at the age of 75.

He played a key role in getting the WNBA star Griner out of her Russian imprisonment - after she was arrested at an airport in February 2022 with cannabis oil in her vape cartridges.

Richardson met with Russian officials in the weeks and months before Griner's release last December, along with Mickey Bergman - the vice-president at Richardson's Center for Global Engagement foundation.

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www.dailymail.co.uk

Bill Richardson dead at 75: Brittney Griner's management pay tribute

He played a key role in getting the WNBA star Griner out of her Russian imprisonment - after she was arrested at an airport in February 2022 with cannabis oil in her vape cartridges.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk
 
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#1,495

Viktor Bout, the 'Merchant of Death,' discusses exchange with Brittney Griner, says he wished her 'good luck'​

Bout is a convicted Russian arms dealer who was serving a 25-year sentence in federal prison after he was convicted of conspiracy to kill Americans relating to the support of a Colombian terrorist organization.

He was nicknamed the "Merchant of Death" because of his notoriety for running a fleet of aging Soviet-era cargo planes to conflict-ridden hotspots in Africa. His life inspired the Nicolas Cage film "Lord of War."


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The swap outraged some Americans who argued the U.S. gave up way too much in exchange for the WNBA star. Griner had been ridiculed for saying the national anthem should not be played before sporting events, but she has since changed her stance.

American officials, most notably President Biden, were also criticized for not including in the exchange Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine convicted of espionage charges he says are false. He is serving a 16-year sentence.

Bout compared his sentence in the U.S. to Griner's sentence in his homeland, saying it was "the same outrage … in Russia when I was sentenced to 25 years."

"Many people would say ‘for what? Just for talking? Are you serious?’" Bout said in an interview with ESPN. "There is not even a proper translation to Russian of the term of conspiracy. We don’t have such even the legal term. So, this is the same kind of outrage in Russia about my case and about many other cases."

www.foxnews.com

Viktor Bout, the 'Merchant of Death,' discusses exchange with Brittney Griner, says he wished her 'good luck'

Viktor Bout discussed his swap for Brittney Griner, what he said to her during the exchange and his hopes for Russia and the U.S. to have a better relationship.
www.foxnews.com www.foxnews.com
 
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#1,496

Brittney Griner Teams With Disney for ESPN Documentary, scripted series​


Disney announced that it will partner with WNBA star Brittney Griner on producing a slew of future multimedia projects based on her yearlong detainment in Russia.

In a news release on Thursday, Disney said that its partnership with the six-time WNBA All-Star will eventually result in a documentary feature produced by ESPN Films and a limited scripted series in development with ABC Signature.

Disney, which owns ABC and ESPN, also said that Griner is slated to have an exclusive sit down interview with “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts.

“We are honored that Brittney has entrusted us to share her story of hope, faith and determination across our platforms,” Debra OConnell, president of Networks and Television Business Operations at Disney Entertainment, said in a statement. “Her unwavering perseverance that helped shape her as an athlete has now influenced her leadership as a human rights advocate.”

thehill.com

Brittney Griner teams with Disney for ESPN documentary, scripted series

Disney announced that it will partner with WNBA star Brittney Griner on producing a slew of future multimedia projects based on her yearlong detainment in Russia. In a news release on Thursda…
thehill.com thehill.com
 
#1,498
#1,498
Franklin Pierce said:

Brittney Griner Teams With Disney for ESPN Documentary, scripted series​


Disney announced that it will partner with WNBA star Brittney Griner on producing a slew of future multimedia projects based on her yearlong detainment in Russia.

In a news release on Thursday, Disney said that its partnership with the six-time WNBA All-Star will eventually result in a documentary feature produced by ESPN Films and a limited scripted series in development with ABC Signature.

Disney, which owns ABC and ESPN, also said that Griner is slated to have an exclusive sit down interview with “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts.

“We are honored that Brittney has entrusted us to share her story of hope, faith and determination across our platforms,” Debra OConnell, president of Networks and Television Business Operations at Disney Entertainment, said in a statement. “Her unwavering perseverance that helped shape her as an athlete has now influenced her leadership as a human rights advocate.”

thehill.com

Brittney Griner teams with Disney for ESPN documentary, scripted series

Disney announced that it will partner with WNBA star Brittney Griner on producing a slew of future multimedia projects based on her yearlong detainment in Russia. In a news release on Thursda…
thehill.com thehill.com
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Brittney was so courageous.
 
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