Brittney Griner fails to overturn her sentencing on medication prices in Russia
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A Russian court docket has rejected an attraction by American basketball participant Brittney Griner in opposition to her nine-year jail sentence for drug trafficking and possession.
Important sights:
- One in all Griner’s legal professionals stated her sentence was inconsistent with Russian legal regulation
- Griner provides her last assertion by direct video hyperlink from her detention middle exterior Moscow
- Griner requested the court docket to think about the truth that she pleaded responsible
The 2-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested on February 17 at a Moscow airport with a vape canister containing hashish oil, which is banned in Russia.
Griner and her legal professionals have requested for her acquittal or at the least a decreased sentence, which they take into account disproportionate to the offense and opposite to Russian judicial apply.
The presiding choose stated the sentence was upheld with “no change” apart from the pre-trial detention interval as a part of the sentence.
US accuser in Moscow, Elizabeth Rood, who attended the listening to, referred to as the sentence “extreme and disproportionate”.
The state prosecutor thought-about Griner’s 9-year jail sentence on August 4 “truthful”, however Alexander Boykov, one in every of her legal professionals, additionally stated it was inconsistent with Russian regulation.
“No choose has truthfully stated that Griner’s nine-year jail sentence is according to Russia’s legal regulation,” Boykov stated.
He listed a sequence of what he stated had been procedural flaws in Griner’s conviction and requested for an acquittal, however requested that “if the court docket desires to punish her, [it should] give her a brand new, ‘truthful’ sentence and mitigate the punishment”.
He stated: “The severity and brutality of the sentence imposed on Griner has shocked folks all over the world.
Allowed to make a last assertion to the judges through stay video hyperlink from her detention middle within the city of Novoye Grishino, simply exterior Moscow, Griner stated her eight months in detention and two trials had been intense. how straight.
“I barely exceed a considerable quantity [of cannabis oil] … These with extra critical crimes acquired lower than I used to be given,” she stated.
Griner apologized for what she stated was an sincere mistake, as she made on the authentic trial, saying, “I did not imply to do that,” and requested the court docket to have a look at the info. the truth that she pleaded responsible.
She stated she used medical marijuana to alleviate ache from a sequence of sports activities accidents.
Each leisure and medicinal use are prohibited in Russia.
Wearing a black and red-and-black shirt over a black hood, the 32-year-old alternates sitting or standing in her cell, typically together with her head down, typically leaning in opposition to white bars.
When requested if she understood the decision, she merely replied “Sure”.
US begins to conduct ‘spoofing’
Washington was fast to react to the ruling.
White Home nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan stated: “We’re conscious of knowledge from Russia that Brittney Griner will proceed to be wrongly detained in insupportable circumstances after present process a traumatic expertise. one other solid judicial continuing immediately.”
He stated the US would “proceed to interact with Russia” to carry her dwelling.
US President Joe Biden referred to as the preliminary ruling “unacceptable”.
State Division spokesman Ned Worth stated that Washington was working to free Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan, who’re serving 16 years in jail after being convicted of espionage, and had “discussions” constructive feedback, even in current days”.
“We didn’t take into account the varied judicial proceedings and adjudication steps as a result of, as we have now made clear, we consider that these proceedings are largely,” Mr. Worth informed reporters. meaningless”.
Griner’s legal professionals stated in a press release: “Brittney’s biggest concern is that she won’t be exchanged and should serve her total sentence in Russia.
“She hoped for immediately as each month, day-after-day away from household and pals is an issue for her.”
They stated it will likely be a while earlier than Griner is transferred to a jail complicated, they usually have but to resolve whether or not to file one other attraction.
“We typically thought we had to make use of all accessible authorized instruments, particularly given the tough and unprecedented nature of her ruling,” the assertion stated.
Reuters
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