Brittney Griner: Bishop Barber signs petition for her release

Contact: Martha Waggoner | mwaggoner@breachrepairers.org 

Bishop Barber reinforces support of WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, signs petition calling for her release from Russian prison

Bishop William J. Barber II, a pastor and president of Repairers of the Breach, is continuing his support of Brittney Griner by joining a chorus of calls from religious leaders to bring WNBA superstar home from Russia.

Bishop Barber has signed a petition that calls on ”the White House and all government entities to secure Brittney Griner’s safe and timely return home” and also calls on Russia “to stop using her as a political pawn.”

In addition, the petition signers say they are willing to join efforts to help secure Griner’s release by sending a delegation of interfaith leaders to Moscow on a humanitarian visit if that proves necessary and would help. They would coordinate the visit with the Russian embassy and the U.S. government.

Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was taken into custody at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17. The White House National Security Council has declared that Russian authorities are wrongfully detaining her.

Bishop Barber, pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina, also attended an interfaith prayer vigil for Griner on June 29 outside the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C.

“Four months she’s been away from her spouse, been away from her family, and it’s time for her to come home,” Bishop Barber said at that vigil.

Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, pleaded guilty to a drug charge as an effort to obtain a more lenient sentence. She faces up to 10 years in prison.