Brittney Griner

Courts in Russia heavily favor the prosecution, experts said, pointing to a prisoner swap as perhaps the W.N.B.A. star's best chance to come home.

So the ask is going to be much bigger, and I think the ask that they’ve been telegraphing in the Russian news is for Viktor Bout,” said St. Julian-Varnon, who has consulted with the W.N.B.A. players’ union about Griner’s detainment. “Free Brittney Griner,” Sasse said in a statement. “You do not have a right for your lawyer to call whatever witnesses they want. On Tuesday, Russia announced it had barred Biden, the first lady, Jill Biden, and others from entering the country in response to far-ranging sanctions. And we are actively working to find a resolution to this case and will continue to do so without rest until we get Brittney safely home.” A Russian court said Griner’s trial will begin on July 1. 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. Bout, an international arms dealer, was convicted by an American court and sentenced to 25 years in prison. From the start of Griner’s detainment, her supporters feared that she could be used by Russia during the global conflict. Russian customs officials said they found vape cartridges containing traces of hashish oil in Griner’s luggage when she passed through a security checkpoint in an airport near Moscow on Feb. 17. “We do not know at this point what evidence they have,” Pomeranz said. “There’s a bias mainly because the Russian judicial system says they really should not go to trial unless the defendant is going to be convicted,” said William Pomeranz, the acting director of the Kennan Institute and an expert on Russian law.

The new 'Free Brittney' movement wants to bring Brittney Griner home after she's been 'wrongfully detained' in Russia. Stars like LeBron James and Amy ...

“It is imperative that the U.S. Government immediately address this human rights issue and do whatever is necessary to return Brittney home,” he added. “I just keep hearing that, you know, he has the power. On Amy Schumer’s June 30 IG post in support of #FreeBrittneyGriner, Real Housewives star Lisa Rinna added her voice to the many supporting the WBNA star’s rescue. LeBron James tweeted his support for Brittney on June 5 on behalf of his company, Uninterrupted. “For over 100 days, BG has faced inhumane conditions in a Russian prison and has been denied communications with her family and loved ones. “He has that power. In May, the U.S. state department classified Brittney as being “ wrongfully detained,” meaning it would work more aggressively in securing her release.

U.S. pro basketball Brittney Griner goes on trial in Russia starting Friday. Here's everything you need to know about the WNBA star.

WNBA star Brittney Griner appeared in court Monday after more than four months in a Russian detention center, and will go to trial beginning July 1.

Following her arrest, the U.S. State Department officially classified Brittney as wrongfully detained by the Russian Federation. "Our position for some time on this has been very clear. "We need that public pressure to let them know that Brittney matters," she said. "We're never going to shut up about this until she's back; we're never going to allow them to take their precious time." "But I'm holding on and I won't break until I come home," Brittney wrote in a letter to Cherelle, their only form of communication. "That's leading me to believe that this matter is sitting right in front of [President Joe] Biden." Cherelle, who calls her wife "BG," said that she's very concerned over her wife's wellbeing.

WNBA star Brittney Griner trial is expected to stand trial Friday in a courtroom outside of Moscow. U.S. officials and experts on Russia's legal system ...

The U.S. government “has determined that Brittney Griner is wrongfully detained and being used as a political pawn,” her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, said in a statement. In April, despite the strained relations, the United States and Russia agreed to a prisoner swap that freed former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed after nearly three years in Russian custody. Little is known publicly of Griner’s condition or treatment at the hands of Russian authorities. “Brittney is for all intents and purposes a political prisoner [whose detainment was] a deeply cynical geopolitical power play with a prominent American,” Rep. Colin Allred (D-Tex.) said this week. With U.S.-Russia relations at their most strained since the Cold War, largely as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, American officials and experts have viewed developments involving Griner’s case as a series of political rather than legal maneuvers. Her fate will be determined politically.” I won’t break until I come home. A two-time Olympic gold medalist and eight-time all-star for the Phoenix Mercury, Griner was traveling to Russia to join UMMC Ekaterinburg, the EuroLeague team for which she plays during the WNBA’s offseason. I won’t let them break me.’” Griner herself would be expected to attend while seated within a secured, glass case. The U.S. State Department in May declared Griner’s case a “wrongful detainment,” an official classification that shifted oversight of her case to the office of the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. “It’s not usually a question of what the verdict will be,” said Thomas Firestone, a former resident legal adviser to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. “It’s more a question of what the sentence will be.”

After months in jail, US basketball star Brittney Griner's Russian trial begins today, but it's a prisoner swap that could be needed to win her freedom.

However, Dr Partlett says the situation in Russia's legal system has "degraded" even further since then, and the whole system has changed since the invasion in general. The former marine was in jail after Russian authorities said he assaulted a police officer and, after that, he was sentenced to nine years. Despite the war in Ukraine and increasingly sour US-Russian relations, a prisoner swap for former US marine Trevor Reed did happen in April this year. And her trial — which starts today — is far from the end of the ordeal: A prisoner swap with the so-called "Merchant of Death" could be on the cards to secure her freedom. Convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout — nicknamed the "Merchant of Death" — has repeatedly been raised by Russian media as a contender. The maximum penalty for this in Russia is 10 years in jail.

WNBA star and Olympic medalist Brittney Griner is set to stand trial on July 1 after being detained in Russia since February 17.

Cherelle, who graduated from law school in May, added that she believes her wife isn't fully expressing her fears ahead of the trial. We need to apply as much public pressure on our government as possible to move swiftly," she added. In May, the U.S. State Department classified Griner's arrest as wrongful detainment. Players Association president, Nneka Ogwumike, said Griner previously played in Russia for four years, Poland for one year and China for two years, explaining, "We go over there to supplement our income," during an appearance on Good Morning America. Griner, 31, is a two-time Olympic medalist and seven-time WNBA All-Star currently on the Phoenix Mercury roster. She's there terrified, she's there alone."

U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner goes on trial in Russia on Friday on drug charges that could see her face up to 10 years in prison, in a case caught ...

They say she has been wrongfully detained and should be immediately returned to her family in the United States. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com She was charged with smuggling a large quantity of drugs, an offence that can carry up to 10 years in prison. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

"She's there, alone," Cherelle Griner told Al Sharpton on his radio show today.

"Let me be perfectly clear: there will be no bipartisan USICA as long as Democrats are pursuing a partisan reconciliation bill,” he said, referring to the bill's Senate acronym. Her detention in Russia was on Monday extended for another six months, per AP. ... Nothing about this is justice," she added. - The basketballer told her in letters that she is "OK" and "holding on." She's there, alone." She's there, terrified.

U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner goes on trial in Russia on Friday on drug charges that could see her face up to 10 years in prison, in a case caught ...

Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer, is serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States.

In an interview, Ms. Scheindlin said that swapping Mr. Bout for Ms. Griner would be inappropriate, given the scale of his offense in relation to her alleged violation. The first former U.S. official said it was highly unlikely that, given the magnitude of his crimes, Mr. Bout would be freed in any deal for Ms. Griner — even if, as some have speculated, the trade were to include Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine imprisoned in Moscow since December 2018 on espionage charges. “And that is likely to take a few months,” he said. But she said a deal that also included Mr. Whelan might even the scales. “He aimed to sell those weapons to terrorists for the purpose of killing Americans.” Danielle Gilbert, an assistant professor of military and strategic studies at the U.S. Air Force Academy who specializes in hostage diplomacy, agreed that releasing Mr. Bout would be a difficult political proposition. Eventually, the United States lured Mr. Bout into a trap. The United States in return freed Konstantin Yaroshenko, a pilot sentenced in 2011 to 20 years in prison for drug smuggling. “It has been communicated to the American side very clearly that they’re going to have to get real on Viktor Bout if they expect any further prisoner exchanges,” Mr. Zissou said. In December, a government building in Moscow exhibited two dozen of Mr. Bout’s pencil sketches and other artwork produced from his cell in a federal penitentiary building near Marion, Ill. Mr. Bout, 55, a former Soviet military officer who made a fortune in global arms trafficking before he was caught in a federal sting operation, could be the price for any deal. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mr. Bout began making money ferrying cargo between continents.

WNBA star Brittney Griner will appear in court Friday, more than four months after being arrested in Russia on drug charges. She's accused of carrying vape ...

Under Russian law, narcotics smuggling cases were subject to a trial by jury, although it was not immediately known if this would be the case for Griner. Griner was arrested at Sheremetyevo Airport Feb. 17 after she was accused of bringing vape cartridges containing oils derived from cannabis through security. There’s no presumption of innocence, really." Even if Griner is acquitted, the ruling could be overturned under Russian law. "There’s a bias mainly because the Russian judicial system says they really should not go to trial unless the defendant is going to be convicted," Pomeranz explained. According to a report from the State Department — "Russia 2021 Human Rights Report" —judges can be subject to the influence of "the executive branch, the armed forces and other security forces" in "high-profile or politically sensitive cases."

U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner is set to go on trial in a Moscow-area court.

But the wide discrepancy between Griner’s case — which involves alleged possession of vape cartridges containing cannabis oil — and Bout’s global dealings in deadly weapons could make such a swap unpalatable to the U.S. “As a general proposition ... I have got no higher priority than making sure that Americans who are being illegally detained in one way or another around the world come home,” he said. “It was good to see her in some of those images, but it’s tough. The Phoenix Mercury center and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs. “In view of what I’ve said, it can’t be politically motivated,” he added. Russian news media have repeatedly raised speculation that she could be swapped for Russian arms trader Viktor Bout, nicknamed “the Merchant of Death,” who is serving a 25-year sentence on conviction of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and providing aid to a terrorist organization.

The Mercury center has been in custody since mid-February, when she was arrested on drug charges outside of Moscow.

Blinken said Sunday on CNN that the two most recently spoke “just a few days ago,” but that he could not comment “in any detail on what we’re doing, except to say this is an absolute priority.” “It is not difficult to imagine that if BG were here with us this season, she would once again be selected and would, no doubt, show off her incredible talents,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in the release announcing the honor. Cherelle has said she was planning to speak with Griner on Saturday, June 18, their fourth anniversary, but was unable to because there was no one at the U.S. embassy in Moscow available to connect a phone call between them. Following Griner’s situation being classified a wrongful detainment, there have been growing calls from the WNBPA for a meeting between Cherelle and President Joe Biden. “He has that power,” Cherelle told ESPN in late May. “You know, I'm just like, ‘Why are we not using it? In an appearance Wednesday on Reverend Al Sharpton’s radio show, Cherelle Griner, Brittney’s wife, said that she still has not spoken to the WNBA star since she departed for Russia on Feb. 17. The emails, per the AP, are printed out and delivered sporadically in bunches to Griner by her lawyer after they are vetted by Russian officials. Asked Sunday on CNN whether a joint-swap of Griner and Whelan was being considered, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “As a general proposition ... I have got no higher priority than making sure that Americans who are being illegally detained in one way or another around the world come home.” Reed, who in July 2020 had been sentenced to nine years in Russian prison for endangering the “life and health” of Russian police officers in an altercation (charges he denies), was part of a prisoner swap. But if and when she's convicted, the Russians will have made clear their credible alternative to a deal to bring her home.” In a late-May episode of HBO’s Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel, Richardson said he was “optimistic” about Griner’s return to U.S. soil, but that it would require some sort of exchange given her celebrity status. In an April op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, Colas wrote Griner was traveling back to Ekaterinburg from the U.S., connecting in Moscow, when she was detained. On Monday, a Russian court ordered Griner to remain in custody for the duration of her trial, and her detention was extended to Dec. 20, the Associated Press reported.