WNBA Star Brittney Griner Is Arrested In Russia
WNBA star Brittney Griner is trending on the web after she was arrested in Russia. In February 2022, Griner was detained in Russia on narcotics charges.
According to the Federal Security Service, she was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport carrying hashish oil, a prohibited substance in Russia.
The Biden administration is considering a prisoner swap that would free Brittney Griner from detention in Russia in exchange for notorious illegal arms dealer Viktor Bout, according to sources and Russian media.
— Forbes
There are worries that Russia is imprisoning her in revenge for Western sanctions imposed in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Democratic congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee has requested her release. In an interview with CNN, John Garamendi said that getting Griner out of Russia would be "very difficult."
Meanwhile, WNBA officials and Griner's wife have demanded that she be released. Many people believe her arrest was timed improperly.
Griner is a two-time WNBA champion who has spent the last few offseasons playing with the Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg.
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Is Brittney Griner Arrested For Containing Oil Derived Cannabis?
Brittney Griner, who flew into Russia from New York, was accused of having hashish oil (a cannabis product) in her luggage, prompting a criminal inquiry.
A video purporting to show Griner walking through airport security and officials examining her belongings was published by Russian authorities.
Griner could now face a sentence of up to ten years in a Russian jail. According to a source with access to Russian prisons, Griner is being held in a cell with two other women who have never been convicted of anything.
Griner had a brief court appearance in May. Her lawyer told The Associated Press that she had no complaints about her detention conditions.
It all happens amid Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Many others, including US lawmakers, are concerned that Russia uses Griner's arrest as leverage.
Especially since the US has been supplying Ukraine with weapons and humanitarian aid worth millions of euros, it has used historic sanctions to isolate Moscow's economy from the rest of the world.
Where Is Brittney Griner Now? Prison Or Bailed
According to Russian state news agency TASS, Brittney Griner was ordered to remain in jail until May 19.
According to TASS, "the court granted the investigation's request and extended the US citizen Griner's detention time until May 19."
After traveling from New York to a Moscow airport, Russian police accused Griner of importing considerable amounts of a narcotic drug.
The mystery surrounding her detention in a country where she had worked for years has now symbolized the rising tensions between the United States and Russia as Russia continues to invade Ukraine.
ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOMS OFFICE, the US citizen was placed in pretrial detention. It said a criminal case was being investigated for transporting many narcotics.
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