Disclaimer: This article may contain the personal views and opinions of the author.
Former Russian prisoner and American citizen, Trevor Reed, detailed what he thinks life will be like for WNBA star Brittney Griner in a Russian prison.
Griner is sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison for drug possession.
Reed says that Griner’s imprisonment is clearly political and that she is in for a rough road ahead.
He said, “Once you are convicted in Russian court, you do have a chance to go to appeals, and appeal that decision to another kangaroo court in Moscow. So after that trial, you know, depending on Brittney’s decision on whether she wants to appeal or not, she may stay in Moscow at the detention facility that she is already at until her appeals are completed. Or if she chooses not to go to appeals, they may transfer her to a forced labor camp. Considering the fact that the Russian government is considering exchanging her, they may also decide to leave her in Moscow to make it easier for her to be returned to the United States.”
He mentioned that those who are sent to the labor camps are “facing serious threats to their health” because of malnutrition and lack of medical care.
“I am hoping that there will be an exchange that we are able to get them home, so I am hoping for the best in that,” he said of Griner and Paul Whelan.
Reed was a former U.S. Marine who was arrested in Russia in 2019, accused of endangering the “life and health” of Russian police officers in an altercation. He and his family denied these charges.
He was sentenced by a Russian court to nine years in prison in 2020 and was transferred to a labor camp during his detainment. He was released in a prisoner swap in April and is now at home in the United States.
Griner pleaded guilty to bringing vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil into Russia, which is a crime there.
Her attorney said, “She’s devastated. She is very upset and she’s honestly quite shocked, so she needs to digest what happened today.”
Her attorney also said that the punishment for his crime is not usually this severe.
“So nine years, it’s pretty unusual and it contradicts the existing court practice in Russia,” she said. “That’s why we are really disappointed and very much surprised by this decision of the court.”
Her attorney said that they intend to appeal and that “as a legal team, we need to do [the] maximum to get a shorter term. We need to use every legal opportunity that we have, and [an] appeal is one of those opportunities.”
People suspect that Griner and Paul Whelan will be a part of a prisoner exchange at some point, between the United States and Russia.
The Biden administration has classified Griner as wrongfully detained and continues to negotiate for her release.
She hates America, let her serve the time. Not worth exchanging her for a gun deer and murderer.
LET THE FREAKY FREAK STAY THERE.
Maybe Britney Griner got 9 yrs. because she knew it was illegal and did it anyway. After-all it certainly wasn’t her first trip to Russia. She entered a quilty plea, so how is she being wrongly detained? If you do the crime then be prepared to do the time.