Brittney Griner's lawyer has given an insight into her life in a Russian prison.
The US basketball star was detained at a Moscow airport earlier this year when vape cartridges in her luggage were found to contain cannabis oil, per BBC News.
After spending the past nine months behind bars, a Russian court rejected Griner's appeal against her nine-year jail sentence - which she has been handed over drugs charges - this week.
In the wake of the crushing ruling, Griner's lawyer Alexander Boykov has opened up to People magazine about the conditions that the two-time Olympic medalist is enduring while detained at the Moscow Legal Center.
Boykov revealed that the WNBA star has very little freedom, saying: "They go to sleep around 10:00PM, and that's when the lights turn off and the television's turned off." He added that inmates are "not allowed to sleep" outside of the prison's allotted hours.
As for what the former athlete is able to do during the day, Boykov explained that prisoners "watch television, they prepare themselves food, they read, and that's basically it."
In stark contrast to the lifestyle Griner was used to, there is barely any facilities for exercising at the center. "There's no gym, no runway, no basketball court," Boykov said. He added that Griner "goes for a walk" and "does some exercises" - but that she is extremely limited by the prison rules.
"Every day is the same," the lawyer added. He went on to say that the ruling had left Griner "devastated".
According to a report by Reuters, Boykov still holds out hope that a prisoner exchange may allow Griner to go free. The Kremlin reportedly raised the possibility in August, with Russian arms trafficker Victor Bout floated as a potential swap. Known as the Merchant of Death, Bout is currently incarcerated in the US.
Until such a deal is worked out, Griner will remain behind bars and have limited contact with her wife, Cherelle Griner, who continues to campaign for her freedom.
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