Back in November, she begged the court that she should be freed, showing pictures of the bruises and swelling around her eyes she got from the beating her ex-boyfriend gave her.

Her friend, Anita Martinez, called on human rights groups to help prove Krivanek acted in self-defense.

“They had gone to see Brittney Griner and accidentally ran into Sarah there and realized, ‘why didn’t we know there was another American there?'” Martinez said.

“She’s like a bulldog on a meat wagon. I think the Russians should be scared of her,” Krivanek said. “Without her I don’t know if anyone would’ve found me to be honest.”

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