Brittney Griner.Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty
Brittney Grineris doing “well” behind bars in Russia, a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday.
US officials met with the 31-year-old WNBA star Tuesday, the first time sinceshe was arrestedon drug charges more than a month ago.
“I can confirm that consular access was granted today,” Ned Price, a US State Department spokesperson said during the department’s press briefing. “A consular officer visited Brittney Griner earlier this morning Eastern Time –– that would have been later in the day Moscow time.”
He added, “We continue to insist that Russian authorities allow consistent, timely consular access to all US citizen detainees in Russia.”
“The consular officer who visited with Brittney Griner was able to verify that she was doing as well as can be expected under these very difficult circumstances,” he added. “We’ll continue to work very closely with her legal team, with her broader network, to see to it that she is treated fairly and that her rights are respected.”
He later added, “It is our expectation that this not be a one-off visit.”
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The agencysaid in a statementthat Griner had flown to Moscow from New York last month when a customs service dog at the Sheremetyevo International Airport indicated that drugs were possibly located inside her carry-on bag.
Customs officers searched the bag and allegedly found vape cartridges that contained liquid with hash oil. Griner was later taken into custody.
Griner has been charged with smuggling “narcotic drugs” into the country, according to the Customs Service statement. The two-time Olympic basketball champion faces five to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Russian state news agency TASS reported on March 17 that Griner has beenordered to remain in custodyfor an additional two months, according toCNNandNewsweek.
“The court granted the request of the investigation and extended the period of detention of the US citizen Griner until May 19,” the Russian court said, per the outlets.
Griner is a member of the UMMC Ekaterinburg, a Russian basketball team based in the city of Yekaterinburg that competes in the Russian Premier League and FIBA Europe’s EuroLeague Women. The basketball star is one of several WNBA players that competes overseas during the league’s offseason.
source: people.com
