U.S. basketball star Griner’s Russian appeal hearing adjourned for two hours
2022.10.25 04:46
© Reuters. U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner appears on screens via video link from the detention centre before a court hearing to consider an appeal against her prison sentence, in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, Russia October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenin
KRASNOGORSK, Russia (Reuters) -A Russian court on Tuesday began hearing an appeal by U.S. WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner against her conviction and nine-year jail sentence for possession and smuggling of drugs, but promptly adjourned for two hours at her lawyers’ request.
Three judges were presiding over the appeals court in Krasnogorsk near Moscow, where Griner was represented by her lawyers Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov. Griner was taking part via video link from a detention centre in the town of Novoye Grishino, just outside Moscow.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist was arrested on Feb. 17 at a Moscow airport with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil, which is banned in Russia. She was sentenced on Aug. 4 to nine years in a penal colony.
The hearing was due to resume at 1 p.m. (1000 GMT).
