Brittney Griner's Move To A Penal Colony Sparks Concerns Of 'Harsh Conditions' Weeks After Russian Court Upheld Her 9-Year Sentence

American WNBA star Brittney Griner is being transferred to a penal colony after a Russian court upheld her 9-year sentence, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Penal colonies are known for their harsh conditions, overcrowding, and prisoners working for minimal pay. The relocation was anticipated and feared by her family when she lost her appeal on October 25.

The eight-time all-star center left from a detention center in Iksha on November 4 and her new location remains unknown.

RadarOnline.com has learned that Griner's loved ones may have to wait for an update on her whereabouts. "Notification is given via official mail and normally takes up to two weeks to be received," lawyers said on behalf of the Phoenix Mercury star.

Unsurprisingly, the move has left many upset as Griner fights for her freedom after she pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges in July.

As RadarOnline.com previously reported, she was found guilty and sentenced to nine years in August after authorities spotted vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.

Griner apologized for the incident in court, telling people it was an "honest mistake" and that she did not "intend to do this."

She was first arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport on February 17.

"Every minute that Brittney Griner must endure wrongful detention in Russia is a minute too long," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement Wednesday morning.

"As the Administration continues to work tirelessly to secure her release, the President has directed the Administration to prevail on her Russian captors to improve her treatment and the conditions she may be forced to endure in a penal colony."

In recent weeks, the Biden-Harris Administration has been conversing with Russia through every available channel to get Griner back home to the United States.

On Wednesday, the Women's National Basketball Players Association released a statement confirming they "stand" with Griner during this tough time "and call on all Americans and the global sports community to do the same with even more vigilance."

"We are crushed that this scary, seemingly never-ending nightmare continues," they wrote. "The lack of clarity and transparency in the process compounds the pain."