American Israeli woman jailed in Russia over cannabis speaks out in support of Brittney Griner
WNBA star Brittney Griner.
“I know what (Griner is) going through,” Issachar, 28, said during an exclusive interview with NBC News’ Kate Snow. “I see the videos of her and I’m like, I know that courtroom.”
Issachar was arrested in 2019 and sentenced to 7½ years in prison after 0.3 ounces of marijuana was found in her luggage during a three-hour layover in Moscow while traveling from India to Israel. Issachar spent 10 months in prison before she was pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2020.
Griner, a seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, has been detained in Russia since February after vape canisters containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Griner plead guilty to drug possession charges last week and faces up to 10 years in prison.
Issachar said Griner’s case is “probably the biggest reason” she’s sharing her story.
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imprisoned in multiple Russian facilities over the course of 10 months, including the one Griner is believed to be held at. She said she shared a cell with up to 40 women at a time and was only allowed one hour of fresh air per day.What is life in Russian prison like for WNBA star?
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Issachar — who grew up in New Jersey before moving to Israel as a teenager and serving as a sniper in the Israel army — said she believes she was “hands down” a political pawn used by Putin as tensions escalated between the Russian leader and then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Griner was arrested and detained on Feb. 17 after Russia had invaded Ukraine and international tensions with the United States and the rest of the world escalated. Griner is due back in court Thursday after pleading guilty last week.