Celebrity Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia has been extended by 6 months. The court date is set for Friday, July 1, 2022. Brittney Griner’s preliminary hearing in Russia on Monday set date for her trial for Friday and extended Griner’s detention by six more months. It has now been four times since Griner’s pre-trial detention was moved She will be in detained in custody throughout the entire trial.
The basketball Phoenix Mercury star was arrested at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17 for carrying cannabis along with found vape cartridges, and hashish oil in her luggage. Griner could be sent to prison for 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs.
The case has drawn a lot of media attention. Her release was at the center of negotiations between the U.S. and Russia. Negotiator Roger Carstens was the same person who freed former Marine Trevor Reed from Russian imprisonment this past April. So far nothing has worked out for the Britney Griner.
How do I know #BritneyGriner is being “paraded†by Russian authorities? Anyone think there was a law enforcement need to have a police dog follow her through the Court hallway?
Everything today was about propaganda at Ms. Griner’s expense.pic.twitter.com/1efPjrYYIy
— Jonathan Franks (@jonfranks) June 27, 2022
Russian state news stated they would free Griner in exchange for convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout, aka as the “Merchant of Death.” Bout was arrested in Thailand in 2008 then he was extradited to the U.S. and sent to prison for 25 years for conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens, and the delivery of anti-aircraft missiles. Bout also was convicted of providing aid to a terrorist organization.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not disclose information about such negotiations for Griner or Whelan when interviewed by CNN’s Jake Tapper this past Sunday.
(Photo Credit Keeton Gale)
