Basketball player Brittney Griner in Russian court after US trade offer


KHIMKI, RUSSIA, Aug 2 (Reuters) – U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner appeared again in a Russian court on Tuesday as the United States seeks her release in a prisoner swap to save her from spend up to ten years in prison for drug trafficking.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) figure Brittney Griner was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on February 17 with e-cigarette cartridges containing hash oil in her luggage .

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday the United States had made a “substantial offer” to Russia to release US citizens detained in Russia, including Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan.

A source said Washington was willing to trade convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Russia said there was no deal yet and Brittney Griner was unlikely to be traded ahead of the verdict, which could come by mid-August.

Brittney Griner, 31, pleaded guilty to the charges against her, but denied intending to break Russian law.

Dressed in a simple khaki T-shirt and round-rimmed glasses, Brittney Griner was ushered by police into the courtroom of Khimki District Court near Moscow. She brandished personal photos before taking her place in the dock.

Last week, the two-time Olympic champion said she couldn’t understand how the e-cigarette cartridges ended up in her luggage, speculating she had inadvertently packed them as she rushed to leave .

Brittney Griner was on her way to join her Russian team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, for the playoffs after spending time at home in the United States. (Reuters report, French version Augustin Turpin, edited by Kate Entringer)










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