Brittney Griner in Russian prison camps could face malicious physical & mental treatment

Brittney Griner is on her way to a Russian penal colony to serve her nine-year prison sentence on drug charges. Griner's legal team tried to appeal her sentencing last month, but failed. She is reportedly facing malicious physical and mental treatment inside the prison.

Olga Romanova of the prison rights group Russia Behind Bars told Politico what Griner will likely experience inside the penal colony. Romanova explained that there are no rules inside the colony and abuse is rampant.

"Everyone is up for themselves there," Romanova said. "Everything goes. You can betray, you can abuse. There are no rules of behavior. I don't think anyone would protect her. Americans won't believe me, but human rights don't exist in Russian colonies. No right to health, dignity or life."

The Russia Behind Bars founder also revealed that Russians have always been taught to hate Americans. Brittney Griner is expected to receive unfair treatment from other inmates. She might suffer from racial abuse, while also getting bullied in many different ways.

"The Russian government taught people long ago that Americans are the enemy of humankind," Romanova said. "She is likely to be jumped in the bathrooms. Her food might be taken away. She is likely to experience a lot of verbal abuse with the kind of slurs no one ever should hear."

To read Olga Romanova's entire interview with Politico, click here.

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What's a Russian penal colony?

Russian penal colony (Photo: Time Magazine)

According to a report by CNN, a Russian penal colony is a prison camp that are "descendants" of the famous gulags of the Soviet Union. The colony does not have any cells, and the inmates are inside barracks. There are more than 800 penal colonies in Russia.

These penal colonies are usually old and overcrowded. They are strict and prisoners are made to work hard, tough labor. Prisoners also have to face other problems such as poor sanitation, food scarcity, terrible healthcare, and physical and sexual violence.

The Russian government uses these colonies as a source of revenue. They can be used as manufacturing plants for food or clothes. Other penal colonies can also be used to provide the Russian government free labor for different construction works.

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Can the United States government secure Brittney Griner's release?

US president Joe Biden at Super Bowl LII

United States president Joe Biden has vowed to get Brittney Griner home. Biden told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday that he's hoping to negotiate with Russian president Vladimir Putin. The U.S. government has been willing to do a prisoner swap to secure the release of Griner, as well as Paul Whelan.

"My intention is to get her home," Biden said. "And we've had a number of discussions so far, and I'm hopeful that now that our election is over, there's a willingness to negotiate more specifically with us. I am determined to get her home and to get her home safely."