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Russia court upholds WNBA star Brittney Griner’s nine-year prison sentence – JURIST

A Russian court Tuesday upheld US Women’s National Basketball Association player Brittney Griner’s nine-year prison sentence for possession and smuggling cartridges of cannabis oil, according to Russian state news agency TASS.Griner appealed her nine-year sentence on the grounds that she regretted her mistake and had no malicious intent at the time she was arrested. The court dismissed Griner’s appeal, stating that “[t]he verdict of Moscow’s Khimki City Court with respect to Brittney Griner shall be changed to give credit for the time spent in the pretrial detention unit. The rest of the verdict shall be left unchanged.”US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan voiced the Biden administration’s disagreement with the court’s decisions. Sullivan said, “President Biden has been very clear that Brittney should be released immediately. In recent weeks, the Biden-Harris Administration has continued to engage with Russia through every available channel and make every effort to bring home Brittney as well as to support and advocate for other Americans detained in Russia.”Russian authorities first arrested Griner in February at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow while she attempted to enter the country with vape cartridges containing a small amount of cannabis oil. Griner pleaded guilty to drug possession and smuggling charges on July 7. On August 4 she was convicted under Articles 228.1 and 229.1.2 of the Russian Criminal Code and sentenced to nine years in prison.Negotiations for a prisoner exchange between the US and Russia, with the potential to bring Griner back to the US, are ongoing.