A Russian court on Thursday sentenced American basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison for drug trafficking. When 31-year-old Griner was being escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs, he was heard saying, “I love my family.” Griner’s lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, said her client was “very upset and very stressed”. “She can barely talk. It’s a difficult time for her. When we saw Britney on Tuesday, we told her ‘see you on Thursday’. To this she said, ‘see you on doomsday’, so looks like she was right.”
According to the Russian court, the court has found the accused guilty of possessing a banned drug. Russian judge Anna Sotnikova sentenced 31-year-old Griner to nine years in prison in Moscow’s Khimki city and fined him one million rubles.
At the same time, US President Joe Biden, while giving his response, described the punishment as one-sided and unacceptable. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “Russia, or any country that wrongfully detains someone, that country represents a threat to the safety of all people traveling, working, and living abroad.”
Immediately after this decision of the court of Russia, the US President expressed displeasure by issuing a statement. In his quick response, the US President said that Russia had wrongly detained Brittany. I urge Russia to release him immediately so that he can live with his family and friends. The US President said he would do everything possible to bring Griner back. However, it is unclear how much time Brittany Griner will actually spend behind bars, as the US and Russia are discussing a possible prisoner swap that could involve a basketball player.
Reports in the US media suggest that the imprisoned Russian arms smuggler Viktor Bout in the US—known as the Merchant of Death—could be transferred by Washington to Russian officials as part of the deal.
Let us tell you that Britney was detained at Moscow airport in February last. Marijuana oil was allegedly found in his luggage here. The trial of the Phoenix Mercury team star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittany’s case began last week. He has pleaded guilty to drug possession and trafficking charges.
Brittany’s arrest came just days before Russia’s military action against Ukraine. Brittany arrived in a Russian court on Thursday to hear drug charges, during which a senior Russian diplomat warned that the way the US was criticizing Russia for its handling of the case did not help Britney’s chances of release.
