Brittney Griner arrest: Rights group urges US government 'to do all it can to bring her home'

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A Black LGBTQ+ rights group called on the U.S. to get Brittney Griner out of Russia quickly as the State Department reclassified her status as being "wrongfully detained."

Griner was arrested in February at a Moscow airport and was accused of trying to bring vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis into the country. She has been held there since and is set for a hearing on May 19.

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Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury celebrates during Game Four of the 2021 WNBA Finals on Oct. 17, 2021, at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

But with her reclassification status, National Black Justice Coalition deputy executive director Victoria Kirby York called on the government to bring her back to the country before they can’t guarantee her safety in Russia anymore.

"Brittney's status change is an important moment in the movement to bring her home safely and swiftly. It means there is now a two-pronged approach focused on both legal and political strategies," York said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.

"It has become clear that Brittney's legal team has acted in good faith to clear her name through Russia's legal system, and that the Russian government has been actively trying to leverage Brittney's detainment for political purposes tied to their war on Ukraine. This is unfortunate, especially because Griner’s status as a Black, lesbian, woman leaves her vulnerable to increased discrimination and abuse at the hands of the racist and homophobic Russian government.

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