Brittney Griner reportedly lost her appeal after a Russian court upheld her nine-year sentence for drug smuggling, according to multiple reports. Griner could be sent to a penal colony unless the U.S. and Russian governments negotiate a deal for his release.
Greiner was released from jail on Sunday after a video leaked, according to multiple reports. The decision was made by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals in Krasnogorsk, a suburb of Moscow.
“Britney is a very strong human being with the spirit of a champion,” Britney’s lawyer said in a statement Monday, according to the New York Times. “Of course, she is under extreme stress from being separated from her loved ones for over eight months, so there are ups and downs.”
Greiner has been detained in Russia since February 17 after Moscow region airport authorities said they found hashish (cannabis) oil in an e-cigarette cartridge in her luggage. Hashish oil is an illegal substance in Russia, and possession, as in Greiner’s case, carries heavy penalties.
BG played overseas during the WNBA offseason and returned to Russia in February after a FIBA break to join Russian team UMMC Yekaterinburg in the EuroLeague. Griner’s sentence and treatment have drawn criticism and concern from WNBA players who play overseas to supplement their WNBA salaries.
Griner was arrested on suspicion of illegally possessing less than one gram of hashish oil, and was reportedly investigated and tried in July on charges of “large-scale transportation of narcotics.” Griner eventually admitted to the charges, telling the judge that he had unintentionally stuffed himself with cannabis oil while rushing to prepare to leave Russia. Griner’s attorneys said her doctor prescribed marijuana for her chronic pain and that medical marijuana is legal in Phoenix.
On August 4, a Russian court found Griner guilty of drug smuggling and illegal possession and sentenced him to nine years in prison. Since then, the US State Department and White House have begun negotiations for a prisoner exchange. Earlier this month, the White House said it had put a “substantial offer” on the table and asked Russian officials to either accept it or come up with a “strong counter-offer.”
The deal included an exchange for arms dealer Victor Bout in exchange for Griner and Paul Whelan, another American arrested and convicted of espionage. Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020, but has repeatedly denied the charges and maintained his innocence.
