Britney Griner Sentenced to 9 Years in Russian Prison

On Thursday, US Olympian and WNBA star Britney Griner, was sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison. In February, Griner was arrested by Russian prosecutors in a Moscow airport for smuggling cannabis oil in her suitcase.

According to CNN, Griner was sentenced by Judge Anna Sotnikova at the Khimki city court, where Judge Sotnikova “delivered the sentence and fined Griner 1 million rubles, or about $16,400,” along with 9.5 years in jail. Many including Griner and her attorneys, are worried Griner is being used as a “political pawn.” US president Joe Biden has released a statement following Griner’s sentence, saying bringing Griner home is “an absolute priority.”