An unfair trade: The Brittney Griner prisoner swap

Andrew Duval Staff Writer

Infamous Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout gives a polite smile and quick nod to the cameramen recording his release from prison as he briskly climbs up the steps of a jet.

Brittney Griner, a renowned WNBA player arrested on drug smuggling charges in Russia, eagerly leans forward as journalists ask her, “Are you ready for a flight?” “Yes, yes,” she responds. On Dec. 8, 2022, Bout and Griner were exchanged by the United States and Russia in a controversial prisoner swap. In response to the event, many voiced concerns over the Biden administration’s foreign policy decisions, with some accusing it of caving in to the demands of authoritarian regimes. Others questioned the media’s influence on the selective release of prisoners.

Griner was arrested on February 17, 2022 in Russia after the Federal Customs Service discovered that she possessed medicinal cannabis, which is illegal in Russia. Griner pleaded guilty on July 7 but claimed that she did not intend to break the law.

Bout was sentenced to 25 years in prison in the U.S. in April 2022 after attempting to sell over 100 missiles and rocket launchers to a DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) informer. Bout was charged with conspiring to provide material support of a designated foreign terrorist organization, conspiring to kill Americans, conspiring to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile, illegal purchase of aircraft, wire fraud and of millions by supplying arms to warring governments and terrorist groups. Since his release, he has joined an ultranationalist political party in Russia. Griner, on the other hand, brought a relatively small amount of medicinal cannabis into Russia with no intent to distribute it. There is clearly a substantial difference in the nature and impact of their crimes, making the trade unwise. However, a factor that must be taken into consideration