Accused of drug trafficking in Russia, the star of the WNBA, double Olympic champion who also played for the team of Ekaterinburg, in the Urals, pleaded guilty on Thursday. While waiting to be exchanged for a famous Russian arms dealer.
by
After six months spent in a Russian prison, the famous American basketball player, double Olympic champion Brittney Griner, pleaded guilty about all of her charges, during a hearing of her trial on Thursday, July 7. Russian justice accuses him of having engaged in “drug trafficking”, punishable by ten years in prison, for having introduced into the country a vapoteuse accompanied by cartridges containing cannabis.
Dressed in a t-shirt and red tracksuit pants, the Phoenix Mercury player entered the courtroom of the Khimki court (northern suburbs of Moscow) handcuffed and escorted by several agents that she laughed at her 2 m 03. The defense of the star basketball player opted for a prudent line of non-confrontation with the Russian judicial system, admitting the facts while emphasizing the absence “of intentionality “From the accused who had written, the day before, to the American president, Joe Biden, a letter since made public where she implores it:” While I sit in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my Woman, my family, my friends, my Olympic jersey (…), I am terrified of being here forever. “
“I would like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intention. I did not want to break the law,” said the double gold medalist, speaking in a low voice in English, reports the reuters news agency. The accused’s words were translated into Russian in the court. “I was in a hurry by luggage and the cartridges accidentally found themselves in my bag,” added the player.
The detention of Brittney Griner in Sheremetyevo, Moscow International Airport, was made public on March 5, although the 31 -year -old basketball player, was in fact arrested on February 17, when she returned to the Russian territory. She intended to go to the Urals, where she takes advantage of the American offseason to play in the Ekaterinburg team. When passing the airport security control, Russian customs officials discovered several electronic cigarette cartridges in his luggage containing hashish oil (legalized in several American states). The prosecution immediately opened a criminal case for drug trafficking against the basketball player.
a vitriol portrait in the Russian media
This case is part of a context of tensions related to the conflict in Ukraine, many observers suspecting Russia to use this case for a future exchange of prisoners with the United States. Before the second hearing of the trial on Thursday, Russian diplomacy denounced the “public threshing” of American leaders around its case, believing that this “parasitized” the case. “What can help (…) is the consideration by the American part of signals that she receives from Russia,” said Russian Foreign Affairs Deputy, Sergei Riabkov.
You have 44.73% of this article to read. The continuation is reserved for subscribers.