According to the Russian news agency TASS, the US basketball player Brittney Griner, who was jailed in Moscow, will be put on trial on Friday.
US basketball player Brittney Griner, who has been in prison in Moscow since mid-February, will be put on trial on Friday (01.07.22). This was reported by Russia’s state news agency Tass on Monday, citing the Moscow court. Most recently, the detention had already been extended until July 2 (Saturday), now it lasts at least until the end of the process.
Accusation: Carrying cannabis oil
The two-time Olympic champion was arrested on February 17 at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Griner (31) is accused of carrying vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage. On Monday, the 31-year-old appeared for the first time for a preliminary hearing before the court in the Moscow suburb of Khimki. The hearing took place behind closed doors. The American faces up to ten years in prison. The case comes at a time when US-Russia relations are at an all-time low over the war in Ukraine.
According to the US State Department, the basketball star is being held in Russian custody for no reason. Most recently, the players of the US professional league WNBA had called for Griner’s release. Griner became champion in 2014 with Phoenix Mercury, since 2015 she has played in the WNBA break in Russia at UMMC Yekaterinburg.