A Russian court has denied WNBA star Brittney Griner’s request for a shorter sentence. If American politicians do not negotiate her release, she will have to serve nine years in a Russian prison for drug possession and trafficking.
Griner presented her case to three judges who would effectively decide her fate in court. The committee questioned Griner about her actions and the reasons behind them. Griner answered honestly and accurately, giving the judges the details they needed to make a ruling on her future.
“I took hemp oil a lot of time – compared to people who committed more serious crimes. That was not my intention.”
In the days leading up to Griner’s appearance, The lawyer of Griner questioned the decision. Griner had a difficult year because her case came during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the time when US-Russian relations were strained.
The star was arrested at an airport near Moscow just two weeks before Russian forces invaded Ukraine after authorities discovered less than a gram of cannabis oil in her suitcase. Griner pleaded guilty to a serious drug charge that could have been punishable by up to ten years in prison.
She was quickly evacuated from the region and is currently in Russian custody.
The star player pleaded guilty to drug charges that could have carried a ten-year sentence; But she was kidnapped rather than imprisoned and has been in Russian custody ever since.
Griner was finally sentenced to nine years in prison in August after several delays. President Joe Biden called on Russia and the United States to release Griner. Biden said a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin would be necessary to discuss Griner’s release. The November G-20 summit; According to the State Department, Griner is considered “false.”
Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison, slightly less than the maximum sentence of 10 years. Griner’s lawyers say the sentence is “completely unreasonable” and they plan to appeal. Griner pleaded guilty and said she understood all the charges and the allegations. However, she insisted that she never intended to break Russian law.
Currently, it is not yet known where the negotiations between the United States and Russia are on the release of the prisoners. Biden said his administration will “fight relentlessly and use every opportunity” to bring Griner and Whelan home.
However, activists have been demanding the release of the prisoners for months. As concerns grow that she is being used as a pawn in the political game, that is what is happening. It is important to remember that relations between Russia and the United States were not ideal due to the conflict between the Kremlin and Ukraine.
The United States continued to provide Ukraine with weapons and millions of dollars in humanitarian aid. In addition, they implemented historical sanctions that isolated the economy of Moscow from the rest of the world.