WASHINGTON (AP)-WNBA star Britney Greener tried to call her husband nearly ten times through the U.S. embassy in Russia on the couple’s fourth anniversary on Saturday, but they weren’t contacted because there was no line. phone the embassy. Cherel Greener said Monday. .
The couple has not spoken on the phone in four months since Greener was arrested in Russia, where he remains in prison. Things are expected to change on Saturday, when the long-awaited call finally came after the Russian government agreed. But the day came and went without any interaction, leaving Cherel Greener anxiously wondering what had happened and at least initially doubting that the Russian authorities had dropped the call.
On Monday, she said she learned a more embarrassing truth from her husband’s lawyers: Britney Greener actually tried to call 11 times in a matter of hours, dialing the number given to her at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, received by the couple. He was told he would call Cheryl Greener in Phoenix. But every time the call is not answered because the embassy counter where the phone rang on Saturday seems to be unemployed.
“I’m angry. I’m hurt. I’m done, I’m tired,” Cheryl Greener told The Associated Press, who recounted how she spent the anniversary of her long-awaited crying. “I’m sure I texted the agent. of BG and said: ‘I don’t want to talk to anyone. It will take me a minute to combine my emotions and tell everyone that I can’t be reached now. ‘ Because he just beat me up. I’m not good, I’m not good now. “
The State Department said Monday that “we are deeply saddened that Britney Greener did not speak to her husband due to a logistical error.” The department reiterated that it has no higher priority than the safety of Americans abroad and it remains in regular contact with the families of hostages and illegal detainees.
For Cherel Greener, the experience has caused intense frustration with the U.S. government’s response to her husband’s case. Although U.S. officials have repeatedly said they are working behind the scenes to bring home the two-time Olympic gold medalist from Russia, he said he was “very angry” with Snafu, especially after being turned schedule the call for two weeks. and although during this time no one was warned that it would be impossible because of the weekend.
He added: “I think this is unacceptable and now I no longer trust our government. If I can’t trust the call on Saturday beyond business hours, how can I believe you’re actually negotiating to get home on my husband’s behalf? “Because it’s a bigger request than Saturday’s recovery.”
Cherel Greener said the U.S. government apologized to her for the mistake. He said he has learned since then that dialing a number given to Britney Greener usually handles inmate calls from Monday to Friday, but not every Saturday and Sunday, with no one left there to answer the call. .
“But be careful,” Cherel Greener said in an interview. “This phone call is scheduled for about two weeks, an appointment over the weekend.”
Britney Greener, a seven-time WNBA All-Star who plays for Phoenix Mercury, was arrested at a Russian airport on Feb. 17 after authorities said she saw cartridges containing hemp oil while searching her bag.
Cheryl Greener said she still hopes to talk or meet with President Joe Biden, but “so far it doesn’t seem to be.”
For now, Cherel Greener has said she should only rely on others ’assessments of her husband’s condition. Lawyers and consular staff spoke to the basketball star, but not to his wife.
The night before the call, he went to bed at 5pm to wake up in the middle of the night and be alert to receive a scheduled call from Russia to Phoenix that didn’t arrive.
“It was a very good moment because it was the first time I could tell if she was okay,” said Cherel Greener, who described it as a “life or death” opportunity to find out how her husband really behaved. . . “This is the first time for me to listen to it in real time and really understand if it’s okay, if it disappears in a few seconds”.
This was announced by Feinberg from New York. Associated Press writer Matthew Lim contributed to this report in Washington.
Source: Huffpost
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.