Basketball star Brittney Griner has been moved to a penal colony in Russia’s Mordovia region, according to a report from Reuters.
Griner’s penal colony, known as Female Penal Colony IK-2 is in Yavas, Russia, is located about 300 miles southeast of Moscow, per Reuters. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters they were “aware of reports of her location, and in frequent contact with [Griner’s] legal team.”
Penal colonies in Russia are where convicted felons are required to work long hours for little pay on menial tasks. The conditions are often very poor and are described as harsh and unhygienic.