Watchdog

U.S. President Joe Biden met with family members of basketball star Brittney Griner and fellow U.S. citizen Paul Whelan, the first face-to-face encounter that the president has had with the relatives.

In separate Oval Office meetings on September 16, Biden conferred with Whelan's sister, Elizabeth Whelan, and then Cherelle Griner, the wife of the Olympic gold medalist.

In a statement after the meetings, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden stressed to the families his “continued commitment to working through all available avenues to bring Brittney and Paul home safely.”

“He asked after the well-being of Elizabeth and Cherelle and their respective families during this painful time," Jean-Pierre said. “The president appreciated the opportunity to learn more about Brittney and Paul from those who love them most, and acknowledged that every minute they are being held is a minute too long.”

Earlier in the day, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that "discussions are ongoing" to secure Griner's release.

"The president is not going to let up. He's confident that this is going to remain at the forefront of his mind and his team's mind," Kirby said.

Cherelle Griner, in a statement released by her wife's agent, thanked Biden for the meeting and his "administration's efforts to secure her release."

"I've felt every minute of the grueling seven months without her," she said.

The U.S. government says Russia has wrongfully detained Griner and Whelan and has assigned their cases to the office of its top hostage negotiator.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken two months ago announced that the administration had made a substantial proposal to Russia.

Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) player, has been held in Russia since February on drug-related charges. She was sentenced last month to nine years in prison, a verdict that Biden called “unacceptable.”

Whelan was convicted of spying in 2020 and is serving a 16-year sentence. The former U.S. Marine and corporate security executive and his family say the charges against him are false.

The Russians have indicated that they are open to negotiations but have also said it would be more appropriate to keep the talks private. Negotiations have been complicated by the tense relations between Washington and Moscow over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

News reports quoting U.S. sources have said the Russian would swap Griner and Whelan for arms dealer Viktor Bout, who currently is serving a 25-year sentence in the United States after being convicted of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and providing aid to a terrorist organization.

With reporting by AFP and AP

A 22-year-old Iranian woman has been declared brain dead just hours after reports spread that she was beaten and arrested by morality police in Tehran for not complying with the country's mandatory hijab rules.

According to reports published on social networks, Mahsa Amini had traveled from the western Iranian province of Kurdistan to Tehran to meet relatives when she was arrested on September 13.

Eyewitnesses at the scene told journalists that Amini appeared to have been beaten inside the morality police van while being taken to the detention center, though she was conscious.

A few hours after her arrest, her family was informed that Amini had been hospitalized.

SEE ALSO:

Iran Using Surveillance Cameras To Identify Women Breaking Hijab Rule

The media center of the Tehran Police Department denied the eyewitness claims of beating Amini, saying she was transferred to one of the police departments in Tehran for "justification and education" about the hijab when she "suddenly suffered a heart problem."

Kiarash Amini, Mahsa's brother, said in an interview with the Iranwire news website that doctors told him they had diagnosed Mahsa as having had either a heart attack or a stroke, "and that while her heart was still beating, her brain is no longer conscious."

Authorities in Iran are increasingly cracking down on women deemed to be in violation of wearing the hijab, which is mandatory in public in Iran. In recent weeks, women judged not to be in compliance have been barred from entering government offices, banks, or riding on public transportation.

SEE ALSO:

The Farda Briefing: Iran's Hard-Liners Attempt To Police Social Life, Cultural Tastes

The notorious Guidance Patrols, or morality police, have become increasingly active and violent. Videos have emerged on social media appearing to show officers detaining women, forcing them into vans, and whisking them away.

Puran Nazimi, a human rights activist, challenged Iranian authorities to release security camera footage to prove they didn't beat Amini.

The hijab -- the head covering worn by Muslim women -- became compulsory in public for Iranian women and girls over the age of 9 after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Many Iranian women have flouted the rule over the years and pushed the boundaries of what officials say is acceptable clothing.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda