Still incarcerated in Russia, basketball player Brittney Griner will be tried from 1 July

Still incarcerated in Russia, basketball player Brittney Griner will be tried from 1 July

American basketball player Brittney Griner, who has been detained since February 2022 in Russia, will be tried this week. She faces 10 years in prison for transporting drugs. Her partner continues to fight for his return to the United States.

When will Brittney Griner find hers? In mid-April we told you about the case of this American basketball player imprisoned in Russia since February 17, 2022 and the general indifference to her arrest.

Arrested at Moscow airport for possession of cannabis oil and placed in detention ever since, she must appear in court starting Friday 1 July. She faces 10 years in prison for transporting drugs.

Brittney Griner played for the Yekaterinburg team for several seasons. Openly lesbian, the 31-year-old champion holds several Olympic titles and is one of the best female players in the world.

According to her Russian lawyer, she was adequately treated during these months of detention, which was extended for another six months.

The mobilization continues to free Brittney Griner

The State Department ruled that the athlete’s detention was unfair. The Richardson Center, an NGO that maintains diplomatic dialogue, is mobilizing for the return of Brittney Griner.

Britney Griner
Lorie Shaull / CC BY-SA 4.0

“We continue to work towards Brittney’s return and welcome the support shown to Brittney Griner and her family during this incredibly difficult time.”said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

She is also Brittney Griner’s wife, Cherelle, who leads the fight to get him out of prison. Since February they have not been able to exchange together. A phone call was scheduled for June 18, their fourth birthday, a phone call that ultimately never happened, and this for no apparent reason. Cherelle Griner learned a few days later that her partner had tried to contact her a dozen times without success.

See this post on Instagram

A shot for Cherelle Griner : “I was angry. I was hurt. I couldn’t anymore”, he told the AP news agency. Her faith in the government’s action to secure Brittney Griner’s release is seriously damaged:

“If I can’t expect to get a call on a Saturday outside of business hours, how can I believe you’re really negotiating on my wife’s behalf to get her back? Because that’s a much bigger request than answering a call. “

His reaction also echoes the lack of media coverage of the case. A petition has been launched to put pressure on the Biden administration:

According to Forbesthe United States would be in the process of negotiating with Russia for the release of Brittney Griner in exchange for that of Viktor Bout, the arms dealer who inspired the main character played by Nicolas Cage in the film Warlord.

In the wake of current events in the United States where the right to abortion is in danger after the revocation of the Roe vs. Wade, a photo was posted on social networks to show that Brittney Griner cared express their feminist beliefs :

Photo credit: УГМК, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Source: Madmoizelle

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