A Russian court rejected the appeal by the US basketball player Brittney Griner against her nine-year prison sentence for possession and smuggling of drugs that are banned in Russia.
She was sentenced to nine years in a penal colony on 4th Aug this year. Now that the appeal has been unsuccessful, Griner could be moved to one of Russia’s far-flung prison colonies within weeks.
American Professional basketball player, Griner’s lawyers, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov were “very disappointed” in Tuesday’s ruling.
“Brittney’s biggest fear is that she is not exchanged and will have to serve the whole sentence in Russia,” they said. “She had hopes for today as each month, each day away from her family and friends matters to her.”
Why did Brittney Griner get arrested?
Griner got arrested on February 17 at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport with vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil which is banned in Russia.
She was penalized on August 4 to nine years in a penal colony for having and smuggling drugs.
For penalizing Griner, the court found that she had committed the crime “intentionally.” Griner had begged guilty while upholding her testament that it was an “honest mistake” and got packed “in a rush.”
Her defense team explained in the court statements that she had been prescribed cannabis oil to treat pain. They also said that the 9-year term was excessive, explaining that in similar cases defendants have received an average sentence of about five years.
However, the US officials have other things and claims which say that Griner was “wrongfully detained,” the accusation denied by Moscow. The basketball star’s arrest came just days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.