Brittney Griner: Jailed US basketball star moved to Russian penal colony

Jailed US hoops prima Brittney Griner is being moved from a Russian situation to a penal colony.

She was arrested astatine an airdrome adjacent Moscow successful February erstwhile cannabis lipid vapes were recovered successful her bags.

The double-Olympic victor was convicted of smuggling and possessing cannabis lipid successful August and sentenced to 9 years successful a penal colony.

While the usage of cannabis is amerciable successful Russia, Moscow has been accused of utilizing Griner "as a governmental pawn".

On Wednesday, the 32-year-old's ineligible squad said the transportation began past week and Griner was connected her mode to a penal colony, but they added that they had not been told wherever she presently is oregon wherever she is being sent to.

The US embassy is usually informed of wherever planetary prisoners are held. Griner's squad judge they whitethorn not beryllium told for 2 weeks.

Penal colonies are the descendants of Soviet-era enforced labour camps, different known arsenic gulags.

In them, prisoners are housed successful barracks and execute labour. Penal colonies are besides a root of income, with immoderate containing factories that nutrient items specified arsenic nutrient oregon clothing, portion immoderate inmates undertake operation work.

At the clip of her trial, Griner pleaded guilty, but said she had made an "honest mistake" and had not meant to interruption the law.

Last month, Griner - who is seen by galore arsenic the top pistillate hoops subordinate of each clip - and her ineligible squad appealed against her nine-year sentence, but a tribunal adjacent Moscow upheld it, with the authorities authoritative calling it "fair".

The treble Olympic victor apologised for her "honest mistake" successful the entreaty proceeding via video link, saying her imprisonment had been "very, precise stressful" and "traumatic".

Speaking afterwards, the WNBA star's lawyer, Alexander Boykov, said his squad hoped that a captive speech would beryllium possible.

Mr Boykov has besides criticised Griner's condemnation for being unduly harsh: "No judge, manus connected heart, volition honestly accidental that Griner's nine-year condemnation is successful enactment with Russian transgression law," helium said aft her entreaty was rejected.

In Russia, possession of little than 6g of cannabis is usually punishable by a good oregon 15 days successful detention. Griner is thought to person had little than 1g erstwhile she entered Russia to play hoops during the US off-season.

Following the rejection of her appeal, Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, told the CBS Mornings programme that the hoops prima was a "hostage" of the Russian government.

She said she did not cognize if her spouse "has thing near successful her vessel to proceed to aftermath up each time and beryllium successful a spot wherever she has no-one".

Speaking aft Griner's transportation to the undisclosed penal colony, White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre said that the US was "unwavering" successful attempts to escaped her and different detained Americans.

She added that US President Joe Biden had ordered his medication to swiftly "prevail connected her Russian captors to amended her attraction and the conditions she whitethorn beryllium forced to endure successful a penal colony".

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US expected Russian authorities to supply its embassy officials with entree to Brittney and different Americans detained successful Russia.

In precocious July, the Biden medication projected a captive swap with Russia to unafraid Griner's release, arsenic good arsenic that of ex-marine Paul Whelan, who Moscow accuses of spying.

Officials said Russia had yet to respond positively to the proposition and said diplomacy should not beryllium conducted successful public.

Russia's penetration of Ukraine a week aft Griner's apprehension and the US's backing of Kyiv person further inflamed tensions betwixt the 2 countries.