Breaking Laws: Griner's Russian Drug Violation

WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained in Russia for 294 days after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow. Griner was held for 10 months and sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges, which can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in Russia. Griner pleaded guilty to the charges but insisted she had no intent of breaking the law, as she was packing in a hurry and was unaware of the substance's illegality in Russia. She was eventually released in a prisoner exchange that took place in the United Arab Emirates.

Brittney Griner was charged with possession of hashish oil

WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained in Russia for 294 days after being charged with possession of hashish oil. On February 17, 2023, Griner was arrested at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow when customs officials discovered vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.

Hashish oil, also known as cannabis oil, is a cannabis concentrate that is extracted from the cannabis plant. It has a high concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana. The THC content in hashish oil can vary, but it is typically much higher than that of other cannabis products, ranging from 10% to 90%.

In Russia, the possession and transportation of large quantities of drugs, including hashish oil, is illegal and can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Griner was initially sentenced to nine years in prison and fined 1,000,000 Russian rubles (approximately $16,000). However, after negotiations between the U.S. and Russian governments, Griner was released in a prisoner exchange on December 8, 2023.

The case gained significant attention due to the circumstances of Griner's detention, which occurred just days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. government classified Griner as being "wrongfully detained," and high-profile figures, including President Joe Biden, advocated for her release.

Griner's detention and subsequent release brought attention to the issue of wrongful detention and the challenges faced by athletes who compete internationally, particularly in countries with repressive laws and political tensions.

Griner was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison

On February 17, 2022, American basketball star Brittney Griner was arrested at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow, Russia. The Russian Federal Customs Service claimed to have discovered vape cartridges containing hashish oil, a cannabis product, in her luggage. In Russia, this is considered illegal and carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Griner was formally charged with the "large-scale transportation of drugs", which can result in a maximum sentence of 10 years in a Russian prison. On July 7, Griner pleaded guilty to the charges, but maintained that she had no intent of breaking the law. She explained that she was packing in a hurry and did not mean to break Russian law.

On August 4, a Russian court found Griner guilty of drug possession and smuggling and sentenced her to nine years in prison. She was also fined 1 million rubles (approximately $16,000). Griner's lawyers appealed the sentence, arguing that the punishment was "excessive". However, the appeal was rejected on October 25, and Griner was transferred to a Russian penal colony in November.

Griner's detention and sentencing sparked widespread concern and outrage, particularly in the sports world. The WNBA, NBA, and Griner's team, the Phoenix Mercury, released statements expressing their support for Griner and calling for her safe return to the United States. Many viewed Griner's detention as politically motivated and believed she was being used as a political pawn.

Griner's case ultimately concluded with a prisoner exchange on December 8, 2022. After negotiations between the United States and Russian governments, Griner was released in exchange for Viktor Bout, an international arms dealer serving a 25-year sentence in the United States.

The US government classified Griner as being wrongfully detained

On February 17, 2022, Brittney Griner was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow, Russia, after Russian officials discovered vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. Griner was subsequently sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison and fined 1 million rubles (approximately $16,000).

In response to Griner's detention, the US government classified her as being wrongfully detained. This classification, made public on May 3, 2022, signalled a shift in strategy to negotiate her release more aggressively, even as the legal case against her in Russia continued. The designation of wrongful detention allowed the United States' Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs greater flexibility in these negotiations.

The decision to classify Griner as wrongfully detained was made by the Biden administration, in coordination with the hostage negotiator Roger Carstens and the State Department. This shift in strategy was likely influenced by pressure from members of Congress and others to prioritise Griner's release. The classification also enabled the WNBA and NBA to more openly express their support for Griner and their commitment to securing her safe return.

The wrongful detention designation had important practical implications for Griner's case. It resulted in a shift in supervision of her case within the US government, with the State Department office focused on negotiating the release of hostages and wrongfully detained Americans taking over. This office had successfully negotiated the release of Marine veteran Trevor Reed in a prisoner swap just days before Griner's classification was made public.

The classification of Griner as wrongfully detained was a critical step in the efforts to secure her freedom. It reflected the US government's determination to pursue all possible avenues to bring Griner home, despite the ongoing legal proceedings in Russia.

Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges but claimed no intent to break the law

WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained in Russia for 294 days after customs officials found vape cartridges containing hash oil in her luggage at Sheremetyevo International Airport near Moscow. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was taken into custody on February 17, 2022, and her arrest was made public on March 5.

Griner was charged with the "large-scale transportation of drugs", which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison in Russia. On July 7, 2022, Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges, but claimed that she had no intent to break the law. She told the judge, "I'd like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn't want to break the law."

Griner's guilty plea was a strategic decision made in consultation with her legal defence team in Russia. Her lawyers stated that Griner "decided to take full responsibility for her actions as she knows that she is a role model for many people". They also expressed hope that her plea would help Griner avoid a severe sentence, considering the "nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance, and BG's personality and history of positive contributions to global and Russian sport".

During her trial, Griner testified that she had accidentally packed the vape cartridges while under great stress and was not offered access to lawyers or informed of her rights. She also stated that she did not know how the cannabis oil ended up in her luggage. Griner's Russian teammates and club director testified on her behalf, speaking to her character and impact on Russian women's basketball.

On August 4, 2022, Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison and fined 1 million rubles (approximately $16,000). Her appeal was rejected on October 25, and she was transferred to a Russian penal colony. Ultimately, Griner was released on December 8, 2022, as part of a prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia.

Griner was released in a prisoner exchange for Viktor Bout

On December 8, 2022, Brittney Griner was released from Russian custody in a one-for-one prisoner exchange for Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms dealer. Griner, a WNBA champion star and Team USA Olympic athlete, had been detained for 294 days in Russia and was sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges. She was arrested in February 2022 at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow when Russian officials discovered vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. Griner's arrest was not made public until March 5, 2022, when the Customs Service released a video that appeared to show her carry-on luggage being searched.

The prisoner exchange between Griner and Bout took place at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, following months of negotiations. Bout had been arrested in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2008 and transferred to the custody of the United States, where he was convicted of terrorism-related charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2012. He was nicknamed the "Merchant of Death" and was wanted by Interpol for money laundering.

The possible release of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges, was also part of the negotiations. However, Russia refused to release Whelan along with Griner, stating that Whelan was an agent and required an exchange of comparable value. Despite the exclusion of Whelan from the deal, U.S. President Joe Biden stated that the United States would continue to work for his release.

Following the exchange, Griner was flown to San Antonio, Texas, for a medical evaluation at Brooke Army Medical Center. She later announced her intention to return to the Phoenix Mercury for the 2023 season.

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