Officials from the United States persist in requesting permission to retrieve Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was detained in Russia.

• The government is still striving to secure Brittney Griner's release from detention, following her arrest for drug smuggling.
• A 31-year-old professional athlete is facing charges of smuggling hashish oil, which could result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
• Griner’s request to be transferred to house arrest has been denied.

The State Department is still striving to secure Brittney Griner's release from Russian custody, where she has been held for a month on charges of drug smuggling.

The 31-year-old professional athlete, Griner, was arrested days after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine, which triggered international backlash and a slew of punishing sanctions. Griner has been accused of smuggling hashish oil, a charge that carries up to 10 years in prison.

On a call on Friday, Jalina Porter, the principal deputy spokeswoman for the State Department, stated that U.S. officials are actively involved in Brittney Griner's case and are demanding "fair and transparent treatment" for American citizens held in Russia. However, when pressed for more information, Porter refused to provide any additional details.

On Thursday, MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell was informed by State Department spokesman Ned Price that the Biden administration is deeply concerned about Brittney Griner's case.

"We have persistently requested consular access to these detainees, yet have consistently been refused access. Russia must adhere to its legal obligations and enable us to offer consular services to U.S. citizens imprisoned in Russia," stated Price.

Price stated, "We will persist in demanding that Russia adheres to its international responsibilities while simultaneously working to ensure her rights are upheld."

NBC News was informed by a source close to the situation that Griner is doing well and her Russian legal team has met with her regularly since her detention began.

Once a pretrial investigation on Griner has ended, a trial date will be established.

If Griner's request for house arrest is not granted by May 19, another hearing will be held to consider an extension of the investigation.