U.S. basketball star Griner’s 9-year drug sentence upheld in Russia

KRASNOGORSK, Russia, October 25 (Reuters) – A Russian court docket on Tuesday rejected an enchantment by US WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner to a nine-year sentence for possessing and smuggling vape bins containing hashish oil, paving the way in which for her to be fined a colony, in a court docket case Washington known as “sham.”

US President Joe Biden, whose administration in late July proposed a prisoner swap cope with Russia to safe the discharge of Griner and former US sailor Paul Whelan, mentioned he wouldn’t hand over efforts to convey them again. concerning the nation.

“We’re in common contact with the Russian authorities to get Brittney and the others out. To this point we have not obtained a lot constructive response however we’re not going to cease,” he mentioned.

Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was arrested on February 17 at a Moscow airport, per week earlier than Russia despatched troops into Ukraine. Relations between Russia and the West have turn into increasingly more difficult, making negotiations between Washington and Moscow to safe her launch extra difficult.

Griner and her legal professionals have requested for her acquittal or at the least a diminished sentence, which they think about disproportionate to the offense and opposite to Russian judicial observe.

After taking a break of not more than half-hour to contemplate the enchantment, the presiding decide mentioned that the unique sentence was upheld with “nothing modified”, aside from calculating the pre-trial detention time as a part of the unique sentence. judgment.

The state prosecutor has mentioned the August 4 sentence of 9 years in jail in a penal colony of Griner was “honest”, however Alexander Boykov, considered one of her legal professionals, instructed the three-judge panel. Choose sitting in Krasnogorsk, exterior Moscow:

“No decide will actually say that Griner’s nine-year jail sentence is per Russian felony legislation,” Boykov mentioned.

Griner’s attorneys in a press release mentioned will probably be a while earlier than Griner is transferred to a jail advanced and that they’ve but to resolve whether or not to file one other enchantment. In addition they added that her case file should be translated into English, which will even take a while.

It was not instantly clear the place she can be despatched.

Boykov mentioned: “The severity and cruelty of the sentence imposed on Griner has shocked folks world wide.

Biden’s nationwide safety adviser, Jake Sullivan, in an earlier assertion, described Griner’s circumstances as “unacceptable circumstances” and the trial she needed to endure “a judicial continuing” different forgery.”

Allowed to make a ultimate assertion by direct video hyperlink from her detention middle within the city of Novoye Grishino, simply exterior Moscow, Griner mentioned how intense her eight months in detention and two trials have been .

“I barely exceed a considerable quantity [of cannabis oil] … These with extra severe crimes obtained lower than I used to be given,” she mentioned.

‘I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS’

Griner apologized for what she mentioned was an trustworthy mistake, as she made on the unique trial, saying, “I did not imply to do that,” and requested the court docket to take a look at the info. the truth that she pleaded responsible.

She mentioned 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 along with her head down, typically leaning in opposition to white bars.

When requested if she understood the ruling, she merely replied “Sure” earlier than being led away.

US State Division spokesman Ned Worth mentioned at a information convention Washington has instructed Moscow, together with of their negotiations in current days, to take part within the US proposal.

“They need to at the least interact in a severe, constructive and good religion. If that occurs, we’re able to cope with it and take steps tomorrow,” Worth mentioned. .

US Cost d’Affaires Elizabeth Rood, the senior US diplomat in Moscow, instructed media ready exterior the courthouse that she was not approved to talk to Griner earlier than or after the listening to.

Griner’s legal professionals say her greatest worry is just not being exchanged and having to serve her complete sentence in Russia. “She hoped for immediately as each month, day by day away from household and mates is an issue for her.”

Reporting by Filipp Lebedev and Olesya Astakhova; Extra reporting by Jeff Mason and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Writing by Kevin Liffey and Humeyra Pamuk; Edited by Mark Trevelyan, Nick Macfie and Marguerita Choy

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