Threatened with ten years in prison in Russia: Greiner found guilty of drug trafficking

“Miss Greiner says she pleads guilty. He had no intention of carrying baggage with drugs, he had no intention of committing a crime as he left in a hurry,” he said.

In the second hearing of the case of Yekaterinburg club UMMC and the USA national team basketball player Brittney Greiner, two prosecution witnesses who witnessed during the search of the basketball player at customs were questioned. The athlete was detained on February 17 at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport. While going through customs, a service dog reacted to his belongings. During the search of Greiner’s personal belongings, liquid vapors containing poppy oil were found, as the expert later confirmed.

So, the two-time champion of the Olympic Games is accused of drug trafficking (part 2 of article 229.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and its illegal transportation (part 1 of article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). . According to the first clause, he was sentenced to five to ten years in prison, under the second – from a fine to three years in prison.

Greiner requested that his interrogation at the trial be held later. This request was disputed by the fact that he needed time to prepare, and the court turned to the athlete. The questioning of the basketball player will only be made at the third meeting, which is scheduled for 14 July.

Grainer’s lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, partner of the law firm Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Dyakin and Partners, said pleading guilty was not a defensive tactic, but the decision of the basketball player. The human rights activist also noted that Greiner received permission to make a phone call with her family, but it is technically impossible to organize this process so far.

“Brittney thought long and hard about this decision, weighed all the pros and cons, consulted with us, and finally said she was ready to admit her guilt. The lawsuit is ongoing. Now the defense kicks in. Our witnesses will be questioned at the next hearing.

We ask forgiveness from the court. Everything has been thought of with Brittney’s personality in mind. No one can claim that this is a great athlete. Admission of guilt must certainly be taken into account.

So we are waiting for the lightest sentence possible,” said Sport-Express quote Blagovolina.

Attorney Alexander Boykov, who represents the interests of the American basketball player, also confirmed that Griner was guilty of illegal possession. According to him, the athlete did it unintentionally.

“He is a responsible person and admitted that it was his item, but said that he had unintentionally brought it to Russia when he was in a hurry and accidentally dropped it in his trunk,” said Boikov. Said. The New York Times by Twitter.

While in a Russian pre-trial detention center, Greiner wrote a letter to US President Joe Biden urging him to make every effort to get him out of jail. It is noteworthy that in the United States, the arrest of an athlete is considered illegal, as hash oil is not a prohibited substance in the United States. The timing of the letter coincided with US Independence Day, and shortly before the second hearing of the case, media reported that Biden had written a letter in response and also called Greiner’s wife, Sherel.

According to CNN, the American president assured Griner’s wife that he is working on the athlete’s release as soon as possible and gave full support to the detainee’s family. He also read a draft of the letter Greiner planned to send to Scherel.

Elizabeth Rud, vice-president of the American diplomatic mission in Moscow, said she managed to talk to a basketball player in the courtroom and let the president read her message. She also noted that the athlete ate normally, had the opportunity to read a book, and all things considered, she felt good.

“I would like to emphasize at the highest level the US government’s intent to return home to Ms. Griner and all wrongfully detained US citizens, and the desire of the US Embassy to uphold and protect the interests of all Americans detained or convicted. To prison in Russia,” Rud was quoted by Match TV. .

At the same time, American officials believe that the story of Greiner’s return to his homeland could be prolonged. This is reported by Politico, citing sources familiar with the situation. The media is discussing the option of trading a basketball player with Russian businessman Viktor Bout, who was convicted of arms smuggling in the US, but according to a source, the presidential administration considers such a trade to be unequal, because “The fight will be very difficult, at a high price.”

“Although the administration of the US president wants to return Brittney Griner home, she will likely remain in a Russian prison for at least a few more months,” he said, according to the American publication.