On Tuesday, President Joe Biden signed an executive order declaring international hostage-taking a national emergency. The order came in the wake of national outrage over the imprisonment of WNBA player Britney Griner, who was imprisoned in Russia this February on charges that she was found in possession of cannabis vape cartridges. Griner, whose trial is ongoing, faces up to 10 years in a Russian labor camp if convicted. In May, the Biden administration formally declared Griner wrongfully detained.
Her arrest has sparked indignation nationwide. "[Griner's] prospects—and the chances she will receive anything resembling impartial treatment—are profoundly concerning," wrote The Washington Post editorial board this March, "The fact that Ms. Griner is gay—she is the first openly gay athlete to be endorsed by Nike—is cause for even deeper worry given that LGBTQ people face open hostility and repression from Russian authorities."
