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Brittney Griner Sends Birthday Message From Russian Prison
A Moscow tribunal has upheld Brittney Griner's nine-year situation sentence.
The WNBA player, whose been successful a Russian situation since February, virtually appeared astatine a proceeding connected Oct. 25, almost three months aft she was convicted connected cause charges. During the hearing, the Russian tribunal denied Griner's entreaty and the athlete—who is presently successful a detention center—is present "expected to beryllium moved to a penal colony," according to NBC News.
Griner, who precocious celebrated her 32nd day distant from loved ones, was arrested successful Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport earlier this twelvemonth aft authorities said they recovered vape cartridges containing hashish lipid successful her luggage. Since then, Griner's ineligible team, and her family, including woman Cherelle Griner, arsenic good arsenic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, person been working to get her released.
In July, Griner pleaded guilty to cause charges, however, arsenic she said successful court, "there was nary intent. I didn't privation to interruption the law." A period later, a Russian tribunal recovered Griner blameworthy of cause possession and smuggling and besides concluded that she committed the transgression deliberately. Along with her sentencing, Griner received a 1 cardinal ruble good ($16,000) for conscious cause smuggling and possession.
After Griner's entreaty was denied connected Oct. 25, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan addressed the tribunal decision. "We are alert of the quality retired of Russia that Brittney Griner volition proceed to beryllium wrongfully detained nether intolerable circumstances aft having to acquisition different sham judicial proceeding today," helium said. "President Biden has been precise wide that Brittney should beryllium released immediately."
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
"In caller weeks, the Biden-Harris Administration has continued to prosecute with Russia done each disposable transmission and marque each effort to bring location Brittney arsenic good arsenic to enactment and advocator for different Americans detained successful Russia, including chap wrongful detainee Paul Whelan," Sullivan's connection continued. "The President has demonstrated that helium is consenting to spell to bonzer lengths and marque pugnacious decisions to bring Americans home, arsenic his Administration has done successfully from countries astir the world. The Administration remains successful regular interaction with representatives of the families, and we proceed to respect their courageousness successful the look of these unimaginable circumstances."
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