U.S. basketball star, Brittney Griner sent to Russian penal camp

Imprisoned U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, who was sentenced by a Russian court to nine years in prison, has been transferred to a penal camp.

According to her lawyers Griner, 32, was taken on Friday from the jail near Moscow where she had been imprisoned since her arrest. There is no information about Griner’s exact whereabouts.

Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February for allegedly possessing a small amount of marijuana.

She was given a harsh nine-year prison sentence by a Russian court in August. An appeal was rejected by a Moscow regional court in October.

The White House confirmed on Wednesday that the United States had made a “significant” offer to Russia for the release of Griner and former soldier Paul Whelan, who is also being held in Russia.

However, there was apparently no serious interest on the part of the Russian regime to negotiate over Griner’s detention.