A Russian court docket prolonged the detention of the W.N.B.A. star Brittney Griner by two months on Thursday, and denied an attraction from her authorized workforce, who had hoped to have her transferred to deal with arrest.
Griner, 31, has been held in Russia since mid-February on drug costs that might carry a sentence of as much as 10 years if she is convicted. Griner is “OK” and has seen her Russian authorized workforce a number of occasions per week whereas she has been in custody, in accordance with an individual with information of the scenario who requested to not be recognized publicly due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The Russian Federal Customs Service said on March 5 that its officers had detained an American basketball participant, who was later recognized as Griner. Customs officers accused Griner of getting vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her baggage on the Sheremetyevo airport close to Moscow.
On Thursday, the Russian information company Tass reported that Griner’s detention had been extended to May 19 throughout a listening to. Griner’s authorized workforce in Russia had hoped to have her transferred to deal with arrest on the listening to, however weren’t stunned that the attraction of her detention was denied, in accordance with the individual with information of the scenario.
The investigation into the fees is ongoing, and it’s typical for a Russian court docket so as to add time to the detention till a trial date — if one is important — is about, in accordance with the individual. Thursday’s listening to didn’t take care of the advantage of the fees, the individual mentioned.
The W.N.B.A. season begins Could 6. Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a seven-time All Star for the Phoenix Mercury, is without doubt one of the recreation’s most distinguished stars.
She is being held at a time of more and more tense relations between the USA and Russia after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine final month. U.S. officers have repeatedly accused Russia of detaining and sentencing Americans for doubtful causes.
The continued detention of a high-profile American may even be an effort by Russia to realize leverage within the political and financial standoff with Washington over the invasion, specialists say.
Tass reported that Griner had not been visited by U.S. consular officers, regardless of Russia’s willingness to facilitate a gathering. However final week, Consultant Colin Allred, Democrat of Texas, told The New York Times that Griner had been denied consular entry by Russian officers.
“It’s already a violation of international norms and the way these things are handled when they happen to Americans abroad,” Allred mentioned final week.
Griner is among the many many W.N.B.A. gamers who compete internationally to complement their American salaries, and he or she has performed for the Russian workforce, UMMC Ekaterinburg, for a number of years.
These near Griner have mentioned little publicly in regards to the detention because it grew to become extensively identified on March 5, seemingly hoping to rearrange for her return through quiet diplomacy.
On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton, the previous secretary of state, joined an rising variety of politicians and public figures who’ve proven assist for Griner when she tweeted “Free Brittney” with a hyperlink to a BBC article about Griner.
