Trial for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner begins in Moscow-area court
American basketball star Brittney Griner went on trial Friday, 4 1/2 months after her arrest on charges of possessing cannabis oil while returning to play for a Russian team, in a case that unfolded amid tense relations between Moscow and Washington.
The Phoenix Mercury centre and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medallist was arrested in February at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport after police said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. She could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs.
Fewer than 1 per cent of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, and unlike in the U.S., acquittals can be overturned.
Her case comes at an extraordinarily low point in Moscow-Washington relations. Griner was arrested less than a week before Russia sent troops into Ukraine, which aggravated already high tensions between the two countries. The U.S. then imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow, and Russia denounced the U.S. for sending weapons to Ukraine.
Elizabeth Rood, U.S. charge d'affaires in Moscow, was in court and said she spoke with Griner, who "is doing as well as can be expected in these difficult circumstances."
"The Russian Federation has wrongfully detained Brittney Griner," Rood said. "The practise of wrongful detention is unacceptable wherever it occurs and is a threat to the safety of everyone traveling, working, and living abroad."
Brittney Griner being led from the court room after the first trial day. Trial set to resume on July 7th. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CNN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CNN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Russia</a> <a
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