The White House has called a Russian appeals court’s decision to send WNBA star Brittney Griner to a penal colony a “sham judicial proceeding” and again demanded her release.
A Russian court on Tuesday rejected Griner’s appeal of a nine-year sentence on drug smuggling charges, meaning she’ll leave pre-trial detention near Moscow and be sent to serve her term elsewhere in Russia.
“We are aware of the news out of Russia that Brittney Griner will continue to be wrongfully detained under intolerable circumstances after having to undergo another sham judicial proceeding today”, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.
“President Biden has been very clear that Brittney should be released immediately.”
The US has accused Russia of dragging its feet on a prisoner exchange. In August, Biden offered to exchange Griner and another detained American, Paul Whelan, for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer known as the “merchant of death, and a second Russian also held in a US prison, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
Sullivan on Tuesday said Biden is “willing to go to extraordinary lengths and make tough decisions to bring Americans home”.
Griner, a Phoenix Mercury basketball star who played in Russia during the off-season, was arrested at a Moscow airport in February after customs officials said they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. She pleaded guilty to drug possession and smuggling.
