It’s been more than eight months since WNBA champion Brittney Griner’s unfortunate visit to Russia that landed her in the IK-2 penal colony in Mordovia. In February, Moscow airport officials detained Griner after they found less than a gram of cannabis oil in her belongings. Moreover, her nine-and-half years sentence in prison became imminent after Griner lost an appeal for leniency in October.

Brittney Griner got transferred to the IK-2 penal colony in Mordovia a few weeks ago. The facility takes inspiration from the Gulag system of the Soviet Union era. Human rights violations and harsh conditions plague most penal colonies in Russia. Moreover, according to a Russian penal colony expert, Griner must also be wary of her social circles.

Expert advises Brittney Griner to be careful while making friends in the IK-2 penal colony

According to a recent report, her fellow inmates and staff will deem Griner, an ‘Exotic’ prisoner because of her African American background. To add insult to injury, the WNBA star doesn’t speak or understand Russian. Meanwhile, Oxford University professor Judith Pallot, an expert on female Russian penal colonies, cautioned Griner.

In fact, she asked the Phoenix Mercury star to be careful in her social endeavors while at the facility. She stated, “The advice I would give would be to be extremely careful about the first few days and making friends with people because they’re most likely to be the informants.”??Moreover, Pallot harped on Griner’s susceptibility because of her non-Russian status.

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Besides the potential human rights abuse and harsh living conditions, Griner may also have to serve a significant portion of her nine-and-half-year sentence in solitude.

Currently, Griner is serving a two-week quarantine, the colony’s equivalent of ‘prison orientation.’ In the two weeks, Griner will receive a full rundown of the rules and regulations of the colony. She will also undergo medical and psychological evaluations to determine her fitness to work. Moreover, according to Pallot, the staff will closely watch Griner during the quarantine period to evaluate her behavior.

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The eight-time WNBA All-Star’s performance and behavior in the observation period will significantly influence her privileges for the remainder of her sentence. The observations made by the staff and prisoners acting as informants will determine everything from her detachment, dormitory, her level of surveillance, and more. Griner can also earn additional privileges, the right to receive additional parcels and extended visits, through good behavior.