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Megan Rapinoe and Billie Jean King were among sports personalities who called for Brittany Griner’s release from Russian prison at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night, while authorities in Moscow held off Americans respect the law in russia,
Griner, the WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist for Team USA, was arrested in February for bringing vape cartridges containing oil obtained from cannabis through a Moscow airport.
He pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this month. his lawyers said Griner was prescribed cannabis for medical purposes.
“For me, the most important thing is that BG is not here. BG deserves to be free. Obviously, he is being held as a political prisoner,” Rapinoe said during his speech for Best Drama at ESPYS. Told.
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OL Reign soccer player Megan Rapinoe arrives at the ESPY Awards at the Dolby Theater on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 in Los Angeles.
(Jordan Strauss/InVision/AP)
“Like what are we doing here, dressed as we are when our sister is detained abroad? We haven’t done enough, none of us. We can do more, we Can support her more and let her know we love her more.”
The king said: “First, bring BG home. That has to be done.”
The US State Department has classified Griner as “wrongfully detained”. Griner admitted that he had the canisters but had no intention of breaking the law. If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that US laws that legalize cannabis in some states have no bearing on what happens in Russia.
Brittany Griner Guilty pleads possible ‘gambling’ to accelerate Russia exit: expert
WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittany Griner holds a photo of players from the recent All-Star Game, sitting in a cage in a courtroom before a hearing at Khimki district court, outside Moscow, Russia. Wearing a number. , July 15, 2022.
(AP photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)
“If a US citizen was taken in relation to the fact that she was smuggling drugsAnd she doesn’t deny it, so it should be in line with our Russian local laws, not those adopted in San Francisco, New York and Washington,” Zakharova said.
“You understand, if drugs are legalized in the United States – in many states – and this is done for a long time, and now the whole country will become addicted to drugs. That does not mean that all other countries do it. following the way.”
Russian media speculated that Griner could be exchanged Russian arms dealer Viktor BoutThe American, who is imprisoned in Russian officials, has said that there can be no exchange until Griner is punished.
An alleyway past a street depicting WNBA star Brittany Griner, top left, and other American hostages and wrongful detainees being held abroad in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, Wednesday, July 20, 2022.
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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A Russian court has authorized Griner’s custody until December 20. Scheduled for another hearing on Tuesday,
The Associated Press contributed to this report.