Earlier this year, Griner was arrested at the Moscow airport after authorities discovered cannabis oil-filled vape cartridges in her luggage. Her attorney had previously stated that the Phoenix Mercury star was prescribed medical cannabis for a chronic injury in the United States in 2020.
Brittney Griner, an American basketball player, has been convicted and sentenced to nine years in jail for narcotics use and smuggling by a Russian judge.
President Joe Biden called the sentence “deplorable” and demanded her immediate release.
The time Griner has spent in detention since her arrest in February will count toward her sentence, according to Judge Anna Sotnikova.
As the court gave down her punishment and fined the basketball star one million roubles (£13,435), Griner exhibited little emotion and listened to the judgment with a blank expression on her face.
Mr. Biden said in a statement: “Brittney Griner, a U.S. citizen, received a prison sentence today that reaffirms what the world always knew: Russia is holding Brittney in error.
“This is outrageous, and I demand that Russia immediately release her so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates.”
The 31-year-old woman was arrested at the Moscow airport on February 17 after police allegedly discovered cannabis oil-filled vape cartridges in her luggage.
She pleaded guilty, and before the verdict was handed down on Thursday, Griner told the court that she had no intention of breaking the law when she traveled to Russia to play basketball in the city of Yekaterinburg.
Griner remarked in a trembling voice, “I want to apologize to my teammates, my club, my supporters, and the city of (Yekaterinburg) for my error and the disgrace I caused them.”
“I would also like to apologize to my parents, my brothers, the Phoenix Mercury organization back home, the incredible women of the WNBA, and my incredible wife back home.
“I made a genuine error, and I hope that, based on your decision, it won’t terminate my life here.”
The judge stated during her summary of the facts and presentation of her conclusions that the Phoenix Mercury player unlawfully brought narcotics into Russia.
The punishment will be appealed, according to Griner’s attorney, because the court disregarded the facts they presented and the guilty plea.
They expressed “disappointment” with the verdict.
The prosecutor in Russia had requested that the two-time Olympic gold medalist be sentenced to nine and a half years in prison.
As she was led out of the courthouse in handcuffs, Griner declared, “I love my family.”
Following the decision, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the sentence “compounds the unfairness of her unjust arrest,” with a White House national security spokesperson adding that Mr. Blinken will attempt to contact his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
He has previously offered a high-stakes prisoner swap that may result in the release of Griner and Paul Whelan, another American incarcerated in Russia for spying.
Russian officials criticized U.S. statements regarding the issue, arguing that a potential agreement should be handled through “quiet diplomacy without the release of speculative material.”
The WNBA and NBA characterized the penalty as “unjustified and disappointing, but not surprising.”
“The WNBA and NBA’s commitment to her safe return has not wavered,” the leagues stated in a joint statement. “We are hopeful that the process of bringing BG home to the United States is nearing its conclusion.”
