Brittney Griner, an eight-time WNBA All-Star, and an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association, was found guilty of drug possession and smuggling on August 4 in Moscow. That was after being arrested in February. This wrongful, politically motivated arrest and imprisonment has caused shockwaves and outrage throughout the United States and the world.
On March 5, the Russian Customs Service announced that they arrested Griner in February for possession of hashish cartridges. She had to pay a fine of 1 million rubles (more than $16,000) and sentenced to nine years of jail time. The case has raised concerns she is being used as a political pawn in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
In Russia, a person in possession of fewer than 6 grams of cannabis or two grams of hashish can be fined or jailed for up to 15 days. Possessing any more than that becomes a more serious criminal offense.
Griner was accused of having less than a gram.
In court, she said, “I’d like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law.”
In a letter to Joe Biden, Griner wrote that, “As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever.”
President Biden emphasized that the detainment is “wrongful” and said in a statement that, “It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates. My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible.”
Her team has felt her loss very deeply. Hours after Griner’s conviction, her teammates had a game. For them, it was heartbreaking. After the game, Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith said, “And we’re still supposed to play this game. Nobody even wanted to play today. How are we even supposed to approach the game and approach the court with a clear mind when the whole group is crying before the game?”
Phoenix Mercury Coach Vanessa Nygaard said that, “We’ll wake up tomorrow, and B.G. will still be in a Russian jail. It’s day 169 or something tomorrow, and the clock continues, and we just want her to come home.”
Links:
https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-mercury-brittney-griner-reportedly-detained-in-russia-on-drug-charges-153753082.html, https://sports.yahoo.com/hashish-oil-did-land-brittney-114041136.html, https://www.si.com/wnba/2022/06/30/brittney-griner-russia-arrest-trial-frequently-asked-questions, https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1659885796908x620924741241850900/Brittney%20Griner%E2%80%99s%20Tearful%20WNBA%20Teammates%20Play%20On%20After%20Her%20Conviction%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
On March 5, the Russian Customs Service announced that they arrested Griner in February for possession of hashish cartridges. She had to pay a fine of 1 million rubles (more than $16,000) and sentenced to nine years of jail time. The case has raised concerns she is being used as a political pawn in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
In Russia, a person in possession of fewer than 6 grams of cannabis or two grams of hashish can be fined or jailed for up to 15 days. Possessing any more than that becomes a more serious criminal offense.
Griner was accused of having less than a gram.
In court, she said, “I’d like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law.”
In a letter to Joe Biden, Griner wrote that, “As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever.”
President Biden emphasized that the detainment is “wrongful” and said in a statement that, “It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates. My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible.”
Her team has felt her loss very deeply. Hours after Griner’s conviction, her teammates had a game. For them, it was heartbreaking. After the game, Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith said, “And we’re still supposed to play this game. Nobody even wanted to play today. How are we even supposed to approach the game and approach the court with a clear mind when the whole group is crying before the game?”
Phoenix Mercury Coach Vanessa Nygaard said that, “We’ll wake up tomorrow, and B.G. will still be in a Russian jail. It’s day 169 or something tomorrow, and the clock continues, and we just want her to come home.”
Links:
https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-mercury-brittney-griner-reportedly-detained-in-russia-on-drug-charges-153753082.html, https://sports.yahoo.com/hashish-oil-did-land-brittney-114041136.html, https://www.si.com/wnba/2022/06/30/brittney-griner-russia-arrest-trial-frequently-asked-questions, https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1659885796908x620924741241850900/Brittney%20Griner%E2%80%99s%20Tearful%20WNBA%20Teammates%20Play%20On%20After%20Her%20Conviction%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf