Brittney Griner

Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully.

WNBA star Brittney Griner has been sentenced to nine years in Russian prison in a sentence that US President Joe Biden has deemed "unacceptable", ...

"The punishment is to be served in general regime penal colony. We urge them to accept it. "It's a serious proposal. The United States has already made what Secretary of State Antony Blinken called a "substantial offer" to secure the release of Americans detained in Russia, including Griner and former marine Paul Whelan. The fine has to be paid directly to the banking details named in the verdict." Griner had travelled to Russia to play in the Russian Premier League during the WNBA's off-season when she was accused of having the vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage.

Experts see Brittney Griner's detention as a hostage crisis amid U.S.-Russian tensions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

I also hope that by going public about their efforts, that Griner’s community trusts that the administration is on the case—and will therefore support more negotiations to continue behind the scenes. In particular, I was encouraged to see the administration announce new policies to prevent and combat hostage-taking and wrongful detention through travel warnings and sanctions. The onus is on the targets, unfortunately, to make those costs more real. According to the 1979 International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages, a hostage-taking comprises an ongoing intention “in order to compel a third party . . . to do or abstain from doing any act as an explicit or implicit condition for the release of the hostage.” It’s not just the trumped-up charges against Griner or the unjustified delays in her trial, but crucially, the fact that the Russians are holding her for leverage. I hope that these negotiations are successful, though there’s likely to be more twists and turns ahead. Dr. Gilbert: An individual hostage crisis ends when the victim is released and can return home. Dr. Danielle Gilbert: Yes, it appears that Russia imposed trumped-up charges against Brittney Griner. According to the Russian prosecution, Griner was carrying 0.7 g of hash oil in her luggage, a personal use amount that would hardly constitute a misdemeanor in the United States. Even in Russia, possessing that amount of cannabis would only invoke a fine or short jail time. There are more than 60 known Americans currently held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad in countries all over the world, and the U.S. government faces similar pressures to make concessions to bring each of these Americans home from countries including Iran, China, and Venezuela. Moreover, the publicity in Griner’s case is likely to inspire copycat cases; our adversaries all over the world are learning how effective hostage-taking can be. Speculation in the media, including on Russian state broadcasts, is the U.S. and Russian governments are negotiating Griner’s fate as part of a Russian effort to gain the release of arms dealer Viktor Bout, an arms dealer serving time in a U.S. prison. The U.S. government considers Griner “ wrongfully detained.” WNBA stars, including Griner, have played basketball in Russia for years without similar incidents. In an emotional statement, Griner pleaded for leniency and said she had no intent to break Russian law. During Griner’s August 4, 2022, court appearance, prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 9.5 years.

The US and Russia have indicated they are ready to hold talks over a prisoner swap, a day after basketball star Brittney Griner was convicted of drug ...

Earlier Friday, a US State Department official told reporters there had been no "serious response" from Russia on a proposed swap. Prior to the verdict on Thursday, Griner apologized to the court and asked for leniency in an emotional speech. And we'll be pursuing that," Blinken told reporters at a press briefing.

A Russian court found Brittney Griner guilty on drug smuggling and possession charges. She was sentenced to more than nine years in prison.

The White House has urged Russia to accept its offer of a deal for the release of Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

That means she truly is terrified that she may never see us again. You know, I share those same sentiments," Cherelle said. Blinken has said Washington put forward a "substantial proposal" for the exchange of Griner and Whelan. In a handwritten letter from Griner that was delivered to the White House last month, the WNBA player wrote how terrified she is that she may be imprisoned in Russia "forever." The White House has urged Russia to accept its offer of a deal for the release of Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges. Russia said Friday it was "ready to discuss" a prisoner swap with Washington at the presidential level, a day after the drug conviction of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner.

Brittney Griner, who was in Russia to play for a local team during the WNBA off-season, was detained over vape carriages containing cannabis oil in her ...

The weapons: Ukraine is making use of weapons such as Javelin antitank missiles and Switchblade “kamikaze” drones, provided by the United States and other allies. Russia has used an array of weapons against Ukraine, some of which have drawn the attention and concern of analysts. Russia appears set to resume ground offensives, with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu telling troops on Saturday to intensify attacks “in all operational sectors” of Ukraine.

After Griner received nine-year prison sentence on drug charges, Sergei Lavrov warns Russia won't tolerate 'megaphone diplomacy'

“These swaps will never happen if we start discussing any nuances of the exchange in the press,” he told reporters on Friday. “I know everybody keeps talking about ‘political pawn’ and ‘politics’, but I hope that is far from this courtroom,” Griner said in a closing statement on Thursday. But Lavrov also warned that Russia would not respond to “megaphone diplomacy”, demanding that any negotiations be carried out discreetly.

The U.S. has proposed exchanging Griner and Whelan for convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout.

- Whelan was sentenced 16 years in prison in June 2020. Why it matters: Lavrov's comments come a day after a Russian court found Griner guilty on drug charges and sentenced her to nine years in prison. - Whelan, a 52-year-old corporate security executive, was arrested in Moscow in December 2018.

Celebrities including Trevor Noah, Justin Bieber and Jada Pinkett Smith spoke out after Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison.

"My heart breaks for Brittney Griner, her wife & her family," Sherri Shepherd tweeted. "The Russian judge ignored everything (Brittney) Griner had stated," Mia Farrow tweeted. "He sentenced her to 9 years in a ‘penal colony’. For carrying 2 vaping cartridges - medically prescribed. I miss food in Alcatraz.' " "It seems like they win, but don't forget: That person now has to live in Russia. They'll get there and be like, 'This whole country is prison. "We all know Russia doesn’t care about what Brittney Griner did.

The W.N.B.A. star Brittney Griner's friends and colleagues expressed support and sadness for her after a Russian court found her guilty of attempting to ...

“It makes me sick that that was the decision,” Jackson said. Doing so will give you access to the work of over 1,700 journalists whose mission is to cover the world and make sure you have accurate and impartial information on the most important topics of the day. I’d like to thank you for reading The Times and encourage you to support journalism like this by becoming a subscriber. On Aug. 4, she was found guilty and sentenced to nine years in a penal colony. Dijonai Carrington of the Connecticut Sun tweeted “praying so hard for BG.” “Just really feeling sad and feeling sick for Brittney and hoping that she gets home as soon as possible,” said Breanna Stewart, a four-time W.N.B.A. All-Star who had played with Griner on the Russian team UMMC Yekaterinburg since 2020. Debbie Jackson, Griner’s high school basketball coach, held back tears after learning of Griner’s verdict. Her trial began on July 1 and the conviction had been widely expected. In February, Russian authorities detained Brittney Griner, an American basketball player, on drug charges, after she was stopped at an airport near Moscow. Since then, her detention has been repeatedly extended. Griner has been detained in Russia since Feb. 17, when Russian customs officials at an airport near Moscow said they found hashish oil in vape cartridges in her luggage. Ms. Griner’s trial began on July 1; she pleaded guilty. The W.N.B.A. star Brittney Griner’s friends and colleagues expressed support and sadness for her after a Russian court found her guilty of attempting to smuggle illegal narcotics into Russia and sentenced her to nine years in a penal colony.

The White House has urged Russia to accept its offer of a deal for the release of Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

That means she truly is terrified that she may never see us again. You know, I share those same sentiments," Cherelle Griner said. Blinken has said Washington put forward a "substantial proposal" for the exchange of Griner and Whelan. Russia said Friday it was "ready to discuss" a prisoner swap with Washington at the presidential level, a day after the drug conviction of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner. The White House has urged Russia to accept its offer of a deal for the release of Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges. "We are ready to discuss this subject, but only within the framework of the (communication) channel established by presidents Putin and Biden," Lavrov told a press conference on a visit to Cambodia.

WNBA star Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony and fined by a Russian court on Thursday on charges of smuggling drugs with ...

The Associated Press reported Friday the Kremlin said it’s open to talking about a possible prisoner exchange involving Griner. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison, but maintains his innocence. ... We must exhaust every option to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home.” The Mercury star was arrested at an airport near Moscow in February and accused of having hashish oil in her luggage. I truly believe we need to do whatever is necessary to bring our American citizens home. “We knew it was going to happen that way, so I wasn’t heartbroken … I do believe people are working on her behalf to bring her home.

Brittney Griner's fate could depend on a man imprisoned thousands of kilometres away — an international arms dealer dubbed the "Merchant of Death" who could ...

Why should we keep him in our jails and pay for the cost of that? "He provided sort of a one-stop shopping network. "And so the Russians have a lot of leverage here, they have a lot of power, they are going to want to milk this situation for everything they've got." "It might be useful to convince or persuade some faction in the Russian government to take the deal or to put someone in a corner in terms of the negotiation," Dr Gilbert said. Born in the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan, he speaks at least six languages and attended a military languages school known to be a "feeder" to Russian intelligence services. Two years later he was extradited to the US, where he was found guilty of conspiring to sell millions of dollars' worth of weapons to a terrorist organisation to be used to kill Americans in Columbia.

In pleading guilty to charges of illegal drug possession and smuggling, American basketball star Brittney Griner was bowing to the reality that, ...

In that sense, swapping Mr. Bout for Ms. Griner and Mr. Whelan is troubling because it implies equivalence between their bogus or exaggerated offenses and the Russian’s real ones. The risk is that if Ms. Griner and Mr. Whelan are essentially Mr. Putin’s hostages, which they are, then trading for them simply encourages him to engage in more hostage-taking. The practical question that remains is how to obtain freedom for wrongfully detained Americans at the minimum price, politically and ethically. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has publicly told Moscow the United States would be willing to negotiate for her release, an offer that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accepted Friday. In private, U.S. officials have floated a deal in which the Russians would send home Ms. Griner and another wrongfully detained American, Paul Whelan, in exchange for Viktor Bout, a Russian with ties to that country’s intelligence apparatus, who is doing time in federal prison and who trafficked weapons. But those deals have happened, too: In 2020, the Trump administration approved Oman’s release of nearly 300 Yemeni Houthi rebels in return for two Americans being held hostage by that Iranian-backed group. In pleading guilty to charges of illegal drug possession and smuggling, American basketball star Brittney Griner was bowing to the reality that, in Russian courts, victory for the prosecution is a foregone conclusion.

U.S. officials and analysts had been resigned to a guilty verdict for Ms. Griner, a basketball star who plays for a Russian team during the W.N.B.A. off-season.

But the cold reality of her sentence on a drug charge was a shock and renewed calls for Mr. Biden to secure her release — even as critics fumed that offering to swap prisoners with Moscow rewards Russian hostage-taking. And this just puts a target on the back of every American out there.” And former President Donald J. Trump, who when in office prided himself on freeing detained Americans abroad, slammed the proposed deal in crude terms. Her wife, Cherelle Griner, has made public pleas for Mr. Biden to cut a deal with Mr. Putin as soon as possible. The White House would not say how Mr. Biden might achieve that goal, however. It’s about simultaneously raising the pain for him.” He could seek new ways to make Mr. Putin suffer. “We think it’s important for their families to know how hard we’re working on this.” That was before Mr. Biden’s proposal to free Mr. Bout became public. On Aug. 4, she was found guilty and sentenced to nine years in a penal colony. On Friday, Mr. Lavrov told reporters that the two nations would continue discussing the issue through established channels. But it appeared to leave the Kremlin unmoved.

Now that Brittney Griner has been convicted of drug possession and sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison, could a prisoner swap bring her home?

On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Russian government had responded in a “bad faith” manner with an offer that U.S. officials did not regard as serious. At the time of his conviction, the group was classified by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization, though that designation was lifted last year. Griner is the most prominent American detained by a foreign country. It’s hard to say, but the contact between Blinken and Lavrov does suggest more progress than has been made before. And the formal end of the court case could be the opening both sides need to forge a diplomatic resolution, too. In many ways, yes — and a recent one, too. That’s what made Blinken’s announcement from the State Department briefing room all the more striking. She said getting a deal done for Griner and Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive imprisoned on an espionage conviction he and his family says is baseless, may be difficult but it is “urgent” and the “right thing to do.” The U.S. government also regards Whelan as wrongfully convicted. He has adamantly maintained his innocence. Blinken did not provide details after his call with Lavrov about his response. Minimal, at least in public. Secretary of State Antony Blinken went public with that possibility last week, revealing in an unusual announcement that the U.S. had made a “substantial proposal” aimed at securing the release of Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan.

Tomi Lahren, the conservative media commentator has been tough on WNBA star Brittney Griner on twitter after she got sentenced to nine years in Russian ...

, and she doubled down by saying that this was a win for Griner. And as soon as the news of Griner's sentence was known, Tomi Lahren tweeted that her situation was a "cautionary tale" while saying that if Griner thought that the United States of America was "oppressive" she's now finding out what "No justice looks like", while also using sarcasm as a grinding tool she also mentioned it was "too bad too sad". After Brittney Griner gave a heartfelt plea in court she was sentenced to nine years in prison after she pleaded guilty to drug possession in July. She was initially detained in February of this year when she entered the country and the airport officials found an electronic vaporizer pen with less than one gram of cannabis oil.

Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun players observed 42 seconds of silence before their game on Thursday in solidarity with WNBA star Brittney Griner after.

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The detained WNBA star Brittney Griner apologized and asked for leniency in an emotional speech to a Russian courtroom in her drug-smuggling trial Thursday ...

Blagovolina also told CNN her team's experts identified "a few defects" in the machines used to measure the substance. Those rights would include access to an attorney once she was detained and the right to know what she was suspected of. "To hear her words and her apologies. Boykov also argued Griner had no opportunity to properly examine the court documents. All this confirms the complete absence of intent in her actions, Blagovolina argued. "What Vladimir Putin is trying to do is basically drive up the bargaining price of Ms. Griner." Near the end of the tribute, spectators started chanting, "Bring her home! We are BG," the statement reads. He said the US is working to bring home Griner and Paul Whelan, an American citizen who has been held by Russia for alleged espionage since 2018. The defense team is hopeful that Griner will be able to talk to her family next week. Blagovolina added that Griner will return to the detention center where she is being held. Judge Anna Sotnikova of the Khimki city court delivered the sentence and fined Griner 1 million rubles, or about $16,400.

Griner sentenced and fined 1m roubles in politically charged verdict that could lead to prisoner swap with the US.

“I never meant to put in jeopardy the Russian population. “I never meant to hurt anybody,” Griner said in her closing statement. He claimed that the US said Russia offered a trade for Bout in 2020 shortly after Whelan’s conviction on spying charges. US officials say Russia wants to swap Griner and Paul Whelan, a former US marine arrested on spying charges in 2020, for the convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout. The exchange at an airfield in Turkey recalled a cold war thriller, as the two men walked past each other to board planes back to their respective countries. Griner’s defence team said they were “disappointed” by the verdict and would appeal.

MOSCOW — A Russian court has found Brittney Griner guilty on drug smuggling and possession charges. The widely expected verdict comes after a monthlong ...

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Griner, 31, admitted possessing cannabis oil but told the court she made an "honest mistake". But the court convicted her of smuggling and possessing narcotics, ...

"It's a serious proposal. When we saw Brittney on Tuesday, we told her, 'See you on Thursday'. She said, 'See you on doomsday'. So it looks like she was right." We urge them to accept it. Griner also said she had received neither an explanation of her rights nor access to a lawyer in the initial hours of her detention, and that she had to use a translation app on her phone to communicate. "She can hardly talk. She had come to Russia to play club basketball during the US off-season.

Brittney Griner has been found guilty of drug possession and smuggling and was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison, an expected conclusion to her ...

He came home this April after the countries agreed to a prisoner swap that American officials sought when Reed was reported to be in poor health. Griner's agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas tweeted that the sentence "was severe by Russian legal standards and goes to prove what we have known all along, that Brittney is being used as a political pawn." I never meant to break any laws here," she said. "Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney," Biden said. "But I had no intent to break any Russian laws." "I never meant to hurt anybody. I never meant to put in jeopardy the Russian population. Under Russian law, Griner has 10 days to appeal, and her lawyers said they expect a hearing in Moscow regional court next week. But she and her supporters have also been aware that Russia was not going to move forward with a trade that could bring her home until her trial was completed. I understand everything that's being said against me, the charges that are against me, and that is why I pled guilty," Griner said, addressing the judge through an interpreter from her defendant's cage. Defense attorney Maria Blagovolina told reporters later that Griner was "very upset, very stressed. It's a difficult time for her."

Terri Carmichael Jackson, head of the Women's National Basketball Players Association, called the decision "a terrible blow."

“Let’s not forget Brittney Griner not only entertained and won the hearts of many Americans but for seven years entertained and won the hearts of many Russians as she played basketball there. Griner’s wife, Cherelle, has been increasingly outspoken in calling for Biden to take action, and the State Department reclassified Griner as “ wrongfully detained” in May. This is a time for compassion and a shared understanding that getting a deal done to bring Americans home will be hard, but it is urgent and it is the right thing to do.” League growth strategy: As the WNBA looks to expand, players are hoping for owners who want to spend. The United States has not indicated whether it would offer Russian Viktor Bout, an arms trafficker who was arrested in a U.S. sting operation in Thailand in 2008, in exchange for their release. “BG is an American. BG IS IN A CAGE. BG is ours. In most places, including the United States, what she pled guilty to and was charged with would not even have merited a misdemeanor. “BG is an American. BG is an Olympian. BG is an ALL-STAR. BG is a daughter, a wife, a friend,” tweeted Cari Champion, the former ESPN host. “The sentencing of Brittney Griner to nine years in prison is a moral outrage and a legal atrocity in any court in the world. The commissioners of the NBA and WNBA shared a joint statement. “Today’s verdict and sentencing is unjustified and unfortunate but not unexpected and Brittney Griner remains wrongly detained,” Adam Silver and Cathy Engelbert said. While the most likely resolution of her case continues to rest with diplomatic bargaining, Griner’s lawyers began the appeals process.

WNBA star Brittney Griner was arrested in Moscow in February after vape cartridges with cannabis oil were found in her luggage.

Russian media have speculated repeatedly that Griner could be swapped for Bout, nicknamed 'the Merchant of Death', who is serving a 25-year sentence in the US after being convicted of conspiracy to kill US citizens and providing aid to a terrorist organisation. On July 27, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home Griner and Whelan in a sharp reversal of previous policy. Her lawyers introduced evidence that Griner was using the medicinal cannabis for chronic pain and injuries sustained during her career and included a letter from her doctor. She was the No 1 pick by Phoenix in the 2013 draft. ... It is our hope that we are near the end of this process of finally bringing BG home." Her plight has been highlighted by supporters at home, including top athletes, especially after little news emerged about her initial weeks of detention in Russia, where she had limited access to US diplomats. The US State Department had earlier declared Griner to be "wrongfully detained" - a charge that Russia has sharply rejected. She also said she was not informed of her rights. Griner has 10 days to appeal, and her lawyers say they expect a hearing in Moscow regional court next week. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said last month the "necessary judicial procedures" must be completed before other steps can be taken. Defence attorney Maria Blagovolina told reporters later that Griner was "very upset, very stressed. It's a difficult time for her".