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WNBA star Brittney Griner is speaking out about the Russian detainment of Washington Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
On Saturday (April 1), Griner, who was detained for nearly 10 months in Russia on drug charges, took to Instagram to express her "great concern" for Gershkovich, per the HuffPost.
"Our hearts are filled with great concern for Evan Gershkovich and his family since Evan's detainment in Russia," Griner said in an Instagram post. "We must do everything in our power to bring him and all Americans home.”
Griner's post comes after Russian officials arrested Gershkovich, 31, on Thursday (March 30), accusing him of spying. The Washington Street Journal has denied the accusation and is demanding his release.
“Every American who is taken is ours to fight for and every American returned is a win for us all,” the WNBA star wrote on Saturday.
In her Instagram post, Griner also called on the White House to use “every tool possible to bring Evan and all wrongfully detained Americans home,” noting that she was " grateful for Biden and his administration’s efforts to rescue those being held abroad."
President Joe Biden urged Russia on Friday (March 31) to release Gershkovich.
“Let him go,” Biden said when asked by reporters what his message to Russia would be amid the detainment.
Over 30 news organizations and press freedom advocates have also written to Russia's U.S. ambassador, noting that detaining Gershkovich appears to symbolize that reporting inside the country has been criminalized.
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