Brittney Griner's Wife Pushes for Paul Whelan's Release After WNBA Player Released From Russian Prison

Brittney Griner's wife called for the freedom of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan from Russian prison after the professional basketball player was taken back to the United States.

Cherelle Griner wrote on her Instagram post that she appreciates everyone and that "all families deserve to be whole."

She also expressed her gratitude to dozens of people and groups in the post, including U.S. President Joe Biden's administration, the WNBA, and Rev. Al Sharpton.

Griner's wife also thanked lawmakers Greg Stanton, Colin Allred, and Sheila Jackson Lee.

Cherelle also mentioned the Whelan Family and the Reed Family in her post. Trevor Reed was another American released from a Russian prison in a prisoner swap.

Meanwhile, Whelan is still imprisoned in a Russian penal colony after he was arrested in December 2018 on espionage charges, earning him a 16-year prison sentence.

The former U.S. Marine continues to deny the charges against him.

Paul Whelan in Russian Prison

Russia refused to free Whelan with Griner and demands that a former colonel from Russia's domestic spy organization was also released as part of any prisoner swap.

The said former colonel is currently in German custody, according to U.S. officials.

He was identified as Vladim Krasikov and is currently serving a life sentence for murder in Germany, making it difficult for the United States to deliver the request for a prisoner swap involving the former colonel.

A senior German government official noted that U.S. officials made quiet inquiries to Germany regarding the trade.

However, the German government was not willing to seriously consider Krasikov for a possible trade, according to a German source.

Krasikov assassinated a Georgian citizen in 2019 in Berlin.

A senior Biden official confirmed that Russia has repeatedly requested someone not even in U.S. custody despite the U.S. making a number of different proposals.

The official said that the Russians kept asking for the same thing that the U.S. could simply not give it.

Brittney Griner Back Home

Griner was brought back home after an exchange occurred in the United Aram Emirates on December 8. A White House official posted a video of Biden speaking to Griner on the phone, confirming the WNBA player's safety.

The U.S. and Russia agreed to the prisoner exchange on December 1.

The U.S. government declared Griner "wrongfully detained" in May and reportedly tapped former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson for help.

Griner's imprisonment prompted international attention as she was seen as a hostage held by the Russian government amid the country's international sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine.

Some Republicans criticized Biden's move, saying that the prisoner exchange would encourage more adversaries to hold U.S. citizens hostage.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that the deal was a "stupid and unpatriotic embarrassment" for the United States.

Biden vowed to continuously work on Whelan's release, adding that they "will never give up."

Russia refused to free Whelan as he is seen as a spy.

READ MORE: U.S. Marine Detained in Russia; Family Says U.S. Pres. Joe Biden Won't Meet Them in Texas

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Brittney Griner: New photos show her experience in Russian prison - from WFAA