Today Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug possession charges in a Russian court, for which she could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
She says that this wasn’t a deliberate attempt to break the law, according to reporters inside the courtroom.
“I’d like to plead guilty, your honour. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law,” Griner said in English before it was translated into Russian for the court.
She went on to say she will testify at some point in the future.
“I’d like to give my testimony later. I need time to prepare,” Griner insisted.
Why is Brittney Griner facing drug charges in Russia?
The U.S. basketball player and former WNBA star was detained in Russia past February at Moscow Sheremetyevo airport, when cannabis oil vape cartridges were found in her luggage.
Griner spoke after the hearing with Elizabeth Rood, the deputy chief of mission at the United States Embassy in Moscow, who states that she shared a letter from President Joe Biden that has since been read by the WNBA star.
“I would like again to emphasize the commitment of the U.S. government at the very highest level to bring home safely Ms. Griner and all U.S. citizens wrongfully detained as well as the commitment of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow to care for and protect the interests of all U.S. citizens detained or imprisoned in Russia,” Rood said.
While Sergei Ryabkov, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister once again disagreed with the depiction of Brittney Griner’s detention as being wrongfull, warning that this are attemps by the American side to make noise and headlines for the public, that in his view do not help with the practical settlement of issues.
Marca
