nUS Embassy officials in Moscow visited the imprisoned WNBA star Britney Greiner On Thursday, just weeks after a The Russian court rejected her appeal She was sentenced to nine years in prison for drug possession.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ned Price And she said in a tweet on Twitter that the American representatives “saw with her own eyes her determination and perseverance, despite her current circumstances.”
Price said the Biden administration continues to press for the immediate release of Mr Greiner and Paul Whelanwho was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison in Russia on espionage charges that he and his family say are bogus, and “Fair treatment for every detained American. “
Russian court to appeal Britney Greiner’s appeal
White House press secretary Karen Jean-Pierre Greiner said it “is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances” and that the administration is working “to resolve the current unacceptable and unlawful arrests” of Greiner and Whelan.
Greiner was convicted in August after police said they found e-cigarette packages containing Hemp oil in her luggage At Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. Her arrest in February came at a time of heightened tensions between Moscow and Washington, just days before Russia sent its forces into Ukraine. At the time, Greiner was returning to play for a Russian team during the WNBA’s offseason.
Britney Greiner says she had no intention of breaking the law
She admitted at her trial that she kept the packages in her luggage but testified that she had unintentionally packed them in a hurry to make her flight and had no criminal intent. Call her lawyers excessive punishment.
The United States considers Greener and Whelan to be illegal detainees and is trying to negotiate their release with Russia. Minister of Foreign Affairs Anthony Blinken He said over the summer that the United States made a “substantial proposal” to Russia to try to bring both home.
People familiar with the show said the United States wanted to exchange Whelan and Greiner for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. There have been no outward signs of progress in the negotiations since then.
Jean-Pierre told reporters traveling with the president to New Mexico that “despite the lack of good faith negotiations by the Russians, the US government has continued to pursue this offer and to suggest alternative potential ways forward with Russia through all available channels.” This is still a top priority. “
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