Arrest of Brittney Griner
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On February 17, 2022, professional basketball player Brittney Griner was arrested at Sheremetyevo International Airport by Federal Customs Service officers, who discovered Griner was carrying vaporizer cartridges containing less than a gram of hash oil. The possession of marijuana products is illegal in Russia, and Griner was subsequently arrested.
Griner's arrest occurred during the 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis. Russia's subsequent invasion of Ukraine further worsened relations between the United States and Russia. On August 4, 2022, a Russian court sentenced Griner to nine years in a penal colony. Shortly after her arrest, the Biden administration began negotiations for a prisoner exchange between Griner and Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer held at a penitentiary in Marion, Illinois. On December 8, the Russian government agreed to a swap between Griner and Bout, and Griner returned to the United States.
Detention[edit]
Arrest[edit]
On February 17, 2022, Griner boarded a flight to Yekaterinburg, attempting to rejoin UMMC Ekaterinburg, a Russian women's basketball team Griner had played for during the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)'s off-season.[1] Upon arriving at Sheremetyevo International Airport, a detection dog detected traces of marijuana in Griner's luggage.[2][3] Russian Federal Customs Service inspected Griner's luggage, discovering vaporizer cartridges containing less than a gram of hashish oil.[4] Griner was authorized to use cannabis medicinally in Arizona; marijuana, however, is illegal in Russia.[5]
In March 2022, Russian state news agency TASS reported that a Moscow court had extended the period of Griner's detention until May 19, citing Griner's height and the length of the beds.[6] Later that month, the United States Department of State stated that an American diplomat had been able to visit Griner, confirming that she was in "good condition".[7] On May 13, Russian state media reported that Griner's detention had been extended to June 18.[8]
Trial and sentencing[edit]
In a closed-door hearing on June 27, a court in Khimki scheduled Griner's trial to begin on July 1 and further extended her detention by six months.[9] The trial began on July 6, and, on the second day of the trial, Griner plead guilty.[10]
On August 4, the court found Griner guilty, and sentenced her to nine years in prison and fined her 1 million rubles (US$16,301).[11] Griner was moved from an undisclosed detention center near Moscow to IK-2 Yavas, a women's correctional facility near Yavas, Mordovia, on November 4.[12]
Release[edit]
On December 8, 2022, Griner was released from prison, in a prisoner exchange between her and Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer.[13]
Reactions[edit]
Domestic[edit]
Concerns were raised over Griner's arrest, and Russia's potential engagement in hostage diplomacy. Former Pentagon official Evelyn Farkas expressed fears that Russia could use Griner as a hostage, while Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee called for her release.[14]
In a March 2022 interview with CNN, California Democratic Congressman John Garamendi estimated that it would be "very difficult" to get Griner out of Russia. He stated that although there might be negotiations to have her released, they would be stymied by the fact that diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States were strained because of President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.[15]
References[edit]
- ↑ Grez, Matias (December 8, 2022). "She's one of the WNBA's biggest stars. This is Brittney Griner's stellar career so far". CNN. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Feinberg, Doug (December 8, 2022). "Brittney Griner's release celebrated by basketball world". ABC News. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Ganguli, Tania; Abrams, Jonathan; Bubola, Emma (December 8, 2022). "What We Know About Brittney Griner's Release From Russia". The New York Times. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Maynes, Charles (August 4, 2022). "A Russian court has sentenced Brittney Griner to 9 years in prison on drug charges". NPR. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Abrams, Jonathan; Ganguli, Tania (August 1, 2022). "Why Pros Like Brittney Griner Choose Cannabis for Their Pain". The New York Times. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ "WNBA's Brittney Griner arrest extended to May 19: Russian media". Al Jazeera. March 17, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ "WNBA star Griner in 'good condition' in Russian detention: US". Al Jazeera. March 23, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Hanna, Jason; Chernova, Anna (May 13, 2022). "Brittney Griner's pretrial detention in Russia has been extended by a month, Russian state news reports". CNN. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Chernova, Anna; Andone, Dakin (June 28, 2022). "Russian court schedules start of Brittney Griner's trial for Friday, her lawyer says". CNN. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Dixon, Robyn (July 7, 2022). "WNBA star Brittney Griner pleads guilty to drug charge in Russian court". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Macias, Amanda (August 4, 2022). "WNBA star Brittney Griner sentenced to nine years in prison by Russian court". CNBC. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Lebedev, Filipp (November 17, 2022). "Exclusive: Brittney Griner taken to penal colony in Russia's Mordovia region". Reuters. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Liptak, Kevin; Mattingly, Phil. "Inside Biden's agonizing decision to take a deal that freed Brittney Griner but left Paul Whelan in Russia". CNN. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ "Fears grow Russia could use US basketball star Brittney Griner as 'hostage'". The Guardian. March 6, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ↑ Sterling, Wayne; Yan, Holly; Tucker, Emma (March 7, 2022). "It'll be 'very difficult' to get detained US basketball star Brittney Griner out of Russia, lawmaker says". CNN. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
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