The Russian judiciary on Tuesday rejected the appeal of American basketball player Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia for trafficking in cannabis and who asked for her “traumatic” sentence to be reduced amid very high tensions between Moscow and Washington.
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“President (Joe) Biden has made it very clear that Brittney must be released immediately,” replied Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, regretting that she remains “wrongly detained in unacceptable circumstances after facing yet another mistrial.” had to endure today.”
The court hearing the appeal in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, decided to “leave unchanged the verdict handed down last August,” judge Elena Vorontsova said.
Just a relaxation from the first sentence: Brittney Griner, who was arrested in February and has since been imprisoned since then, spent every day in custody before sentencing counts as a day and a half and is deducted from the total sentence.
“I very much hope that the court will adjust this verdict because it was very, very stressful and very traumatic for my mental and psychological state,” said the US basketball star, who is taking part in the hearing via video conference, shortly before an AFP journalists.
Wearing a red and black plaid shirt, Brittney Griner, 32, expressed her sadness at being separated from her family and unable to communicate with them.
She said she “didn’t understand” such a severe sentence against her “while people are inflicted far less than me for more serious crimes”.
For his part, one of his lawyers, Alexander Boïkov, had asked the court to “consider an acquittal for the dismissal”.
Under “the Eyes of the Whole World”
“The eyes of the whole world are on this case,” said Mr. Boïkov.
“The cruelty of this verdict affects not only those involved in the trial, but people around the world,” he said.
Brittney Griner was arrested in the Russian capital in possession of a vaporizer containing cannabis-based liquid.
She admitted to possessing the substance, but claimed to have accidentally brought it to Russia and legally used it as a pain reliever in the United States.
She had gone to Russia to play during the American offseason, a common practice for women basketball players in the North American Women’s Basketball League (WNBA), who often make more money abroad than in the United States.
League Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the Russian court’s decision was “not unexpected and (that) Brittney Griner remains unfairly imprisoned,” adding, “It’s time this case ended and BG came home.” .”
The case of this woman, who was sentenced to nine years in prison last August for trafficking in cannabis, has now acquired geopolitical significance in the context of the crisis between Moscow and Washington over the Russian offensive in Ukraine.
Other American citizens are currently being held in Russia, and the United States is also seeking their release.
Washington has repeatedly said it made a “substantial offer” to release two Americans detained in Russia, Brittney Griner, and a former US soldier, Paul Whelan.
According to Russian diplomatic sources, a possible prisoner swap could particularly affect Brittney Griner and a Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout arrested in the United States.
Mr Bout was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and is currently serving a 25-year sentence in the United States.