Russia rejects Britney Griner’s appeal, upholds her 9-year sentence

The judicial college of the Moscow District Court, 9 years in prison Issued to American athletes Britney Grinerwas arrested last February for carrying several cannabis oil cartridges in his suitcase.

The judge’s decision did not change the sentence, except for the fact that one day during which she was in preventive detention in Moscow for eight months counted as 1.5 days in her total sentence.

smile, The 32-year-old, who turned 32 a week ago, attended a teleconference hearing in the city of Krasnogorsk, which was also attended by Elisabeth Ruud, acting ambassador to the US Embassy in Russia. .

The denial of the appeal by Griner’s attorneys has once again prompted the basketball world to demand the player’s release. Cathy Engelbartthe WNBA commissioner assured on Tuesday that Griner “continues to be unjustly detained.”

“Today’s decision was neither gratifying nor unexpected. Britney Griner remains unjustly detained. We greatly appreciate the efforts of the government and the U.S. State Department to lead the negotiations. I am,” Engelbart said in a statement issued to the WNBA. “It’s time to close the case and take ‘BG’ home,” he added.

of White House He defined this process as: New “farce” of Russian justice And once again demanded their immediate release. US President Joe Biden said: “We are in constant communication with the Russian authorities to try to free Britney Griner. We have not come to an agreement at this time… but we are not giving up.”

American basketball is using the NBA, the WNBA track and the recent Women’s Basketball World Cup as platforms to urge the US government to intervene to free Griner.

of WNBAMore Special decals with Britney Griner’s initials and jersey number (42) were placed on the courts of 12 teams to show their support for the Phoenix Mercury players.

US Women’s Team Retires No. 15worn by Greiner as an international player until the Mercury Star was released.

Heading into the first game of the Brooklyn Nets’ new NBA season, Kyrie Irving has asked Biden to step in to free what he considers a “sister.” “Please take a good look at what’s going on in the world and release my sister Britney Griner. Please, POTUS (President of the United States), do your job.