Brittney Griner’s appeal has been denied in a Russian court citing that her nine-year sentence is fair.
During her appeal hearing, Griner showed up via video where she apologized for making an “honest mistake” and also said that this process has been very stressful. Previously, we reported that the US Basketball player was convicted of drug smuggling after vape cartridges were found in her luggage at the airport.
There have been reports of the Griner’s legal hoping that she would be a part of a prisoner exchange to get her home. The swap would have been sending Viktor Bout, a known Russian arms trafficker back to Russia in exchange for Griner.
Alexander Boykov, the basketball star said, “No judge, hand on heart, will honestly say that Griner’s nine-year sentence is in the line with Russian criminal law.” During the time of her conviction, Jake Sullivan, a US national security adviser said in a statement that Griner was “wrongfully detained under intolerable circumstances and that President Biden has called for her to be released immediately.”
Britney also said during her appeal hearing, “I really hope that the court will adjust this sentence because it has been very very stressful and very traumatic. People with more severe crimes have gotten less than what I was given.”
Britney Griner has been detained in Russia since February. She recently spent her 32nd birthday in prison.