In October, WNBA Star Brittney Griner had her appeal rejected by the Russian courts. BG had appealed her sentence of nine years and she had hoped that it would get reduced or thrown out. However, the courts rejected her appeal, and she was sent to the notorious Russian Penal colonies to begin her sentence. The penal colonies are considered very dangerous and Griner will be put to her worst test.

Griner was found guilty after she was put on trial for having illegal substances in her luggage. She was sentenced to nine years, a verdict which has attracted massive criticism. She later decided to appeal her verdict, hoping that she would get some relief. However, even that effort went up in smoke as the appeal was rejected.

After that, Brittney Griner was sent to the penal colonies, which are considered very notorious.

Brittney Griner will face very harsh conditions at Penal colonies

There is not a lot of information available on the penal colonies. Several reports suggest that it is very harsh and the living conditions are poor. There have been several accounts by former inmates and they describe it as unbearable. One of them is Nadya Tolokonnikova, who spent two years there. She was sent there are she was jailed for protesting against Vladimir Putin.

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She talks about her experience in the penal colonies. Nadya said, ” I think its gonna be specifically difficult for Brittney because she doesn’t know the Russian language and she cannot learn about the law that she has to obey in a penal colony and she cannot protect herself”

“The worst thing in the penal colony is witnessing deaths of others around you and not be able to do anything. People die from hard physical labor, inability to access medical treatment that they need, but you’re just another prisoner”

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She says that prisoners need to wear uniforms and wake up at 6 in the morning. They have to work long shifts, which are sometimes 18-hour long. She adds that prison guards had may ridiculed her and may turn the inmates against each other. She hopes that Griner can adjust to the trauma that she will face. There has been no news on her release yet and Griner has begun her sentence at the penal colonies. She will probably face multiple harsh tests and many of them won’t be in her direct control.