"WNBA Star Brittney Griner Calls for Release of Americans Detained Abroad at NAACP Image Awards"
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WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner made a public appearance at the 54th NAACP Image Awards after being released from Russian prison.
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Griner thanked people for their support and called for the return of Americans still detained abroad.
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On average, 34 Americans are wrongfully detained by foreign governments each year, and the number has increased seven times over the past decade.
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At least 60 Americans are currently held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, with a majority of those detained in Iran, China, Venezuela, Syria, and Russia.
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Nearly two-thirds of people who are wrongfully detained are eventually released, rescued or escape, while nearly a third are still apprehended and nearly half of those currently detained have been held for more than four years.
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Wrongful detention was once a practice primarily carried out by terrorist organizations or other militant groups but has increasingly become a tool of adversarial governments.
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Griner was detained on drug charges in Russia after customs officials found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage, which she said were legally prescribed to address chronic pain issues.
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After almost 10 months of negotiations between the U.S. and Russia, Griner was released in exchange for the convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
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President Biden said Griner was in "good spirits" upon her return but needed time to heal from the traumatic experience of being wrongfully detained.
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Griner had previously requested, "Please don't forget about me and the other American detainees," a plea which she reiterated at the awards ceremony.
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