Russian court upholds Brittney Griner's 9-year prison sentence

Oct. 25 (UPI) -- A Moscow regional appeals court denied an appeal by WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner on drug charges Tuesday, clearing the way for her to serve nine years in a Russian penal colony unless the U.S. State Department can negotiate a prisoner swap.

Griner, who was playing for a Russian professional team during the WNBA off-season, was arrested just days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine on drug-smuggling charges. She was convicted nearly three months ago and sentenced to nine years in prison.

Her lawyers argued that her verdict was unfair and unjustified under Russian law. Griner did not appear at the hearing and participated through a video link. Her attorneys, Maria Blagovolina and Aleksandr Boikov, have not said if they would pursue another appeal to a higher court.

U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan called the appeals court decision a "sham judicial proceeding" and reiterated the administration's position that Griner should be released immediately.

"In recent weeks, the Biden-Harris administration has continued to engage with Russia through every available channel and make every effort to bring home Brittney, as well as to support and advocate for other Americans detained in Russia, including fellow wrongful detainee Paul Whelan," Sullivan said in a White House statement.

Sullivan said Biden has "willing to go to extraordinary lengths" to make difficult decisions to bring Americans home.

"The administration remains in regular touch with representatives of the families, and we continue to admire their courage in the face of these unimaginable circumstances," Sullivan said.

The State Department maintains that Griner was wrongly detained and suggested she is being used as a political pawn in light of Russia's war in Ukraine and sanctions slapped on Moscow by the United States and other Western countries.

Russian authorities at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport arrested Griner on Feb. 17 after she arrived from the United States. Russian customs officials said they found two vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage and detained her.

Griner admitted to owning the cartridges, saying it was an "honest mistake" placing them in her bag, and that she had no intention of breaking Russian law.