[４日 ロイター] – A Russian court has sentenced US women’s basketball player Britney Greiner, 31, to nine years in prison for drug possession and smuggling.
Greiner was detained and charged with possessing a cannabis oil cartridge while entering Russia in February.
A fine of one million rubles ($16,000) was also imposed.
In his closing argument, Greiner admitted he was wrong, but said he had no intention of bringing banned substances into Russia or harming anyone, and tearfully said, “Don’t let the harsh sentence end my life.” appealed to
After the verdict, he said he understood the ruling with a hard expression as he left the courtroom in handcuffs.
Greiner’s lawyers have said they plan to appeal.
President Biden issued a statement calling the verdict against Greiner “unacceptable.” He called on the Russian government to release Greiner immediately, and vowed that the US administration would continue to use “all means” to get him home.
US Secretary of State Brinken said in a statement that the nine-year sentence “further highlights the injustice” of Greiner’s unjust detention. “Today’s ruling does not change our determination that Greiner has been unjustly detained. continue,” he said.
The ruling raises the possibility that Greiner will be exchanged with Russian arms dealers who are serving prison sentences in the United States. So far, Secretary Brinken has revealed that he has made “substantial proposals” to Russia for the return of Americans detained in Russia, and has been discussed in a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Lavrov, but the progress is clear. not become
