Griner’s detention in Russia extended until May 19

The arrest of the American basketball star Brittney Griner in Russia for the possession of cartridges with cannabis-derived oil has been extended until May 19, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. . TASS reported that the Moscow region’s Khimkinsky court ruled in favor of detaining the seven-time WNBA All-Star for at least two more months.

“The court granted the request of the investigation and extended the detention period of the US citizen Griner until May 19,” the court was quoted as saying by TASS.

Ekaterina Kalugina, a member of the Moscow Public Control Commission (ONK), a semi-official body with access to Russian prisons, told TASS that Griner was sharing a cell with two other women with no prior convictions, adding that Griner’s only complaint Griner was that prison beds were too short for his 6-foot-7 frame.

Without identifying Griner, a center for the Phoenix Mercury, the Russian Customs Service said earlier this month that a player was detained in February after arriving at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on a flight from New York.

TASS identified the player as Griner, citing a source. The Mercury, without elaborating, said: “We are aware of and closely following the situation of Brittney Griner in Russia.”

A scan of the player’s suitcases revealed cartridges containing “liquid with cannabis-derived oil”, and a criminal case has been opened with a possible sentence of five to 10 years in prison, the customs service said.

It was not clear in February that Griner, who plays in Russia for UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA offseason, had been detained.

In a joint press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration had assigned an embassy team to work on the Griner case.

Griner has won Olympic gold medals with the United States national team in 2016-2021.

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Griner’s detention in Russia extended until May 19