American Brittney Griner moved to a penal colony in Russia

MOSCOW (AP) — Jailed U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been transferred to a penal colony in Russia, her legal team said Wednesday.

A Russian court rejected his appeal against his nine-year sentence for drug possession last month.

“Brittney was moved from Iksha Detention Center on November 4. She is now on her way to a penal colony. We have no information on its exact current location or final destination,” the statement from its legal team read.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: “Every minute that Brittney Griner has to endure unjustified detention in Russia is a minute too long. As the administration continues to work tirelessly to secure her release, the president has ordered the administration to persuade her Russian captors to improve her treatment and the conditions she may be forced to endure in a penal colony. As we have said before, the US government has made an important offer to the Russians to resolve the unacceptable and unjustified detentions of US citizens. ”

Griner, an eight-time all-star center with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and two-time Olympic gold medalist, was sentenced Aug. 4 after police said they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow.

Griner admitted she had the canisters in her luggage, but testified that she inadvertently hastily packed them and had no criminal intent. His defense team presented written statements that he was prescribed cannabis to treat the pain.

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