Putin’s aide warns WNBA player Britney Griner from Russian prison ‘not a priority for us’
Vladimir’s aide Putin It said releasing WNBA star Britney Griner from prison was “not a priority” for the Kremlin.
A two-time Olympic basketball gold medalist, the 31-year-old was arrested in February after police dogs allegedly carried two e-cigarette cartridges containing cannabis oil at a Moscow airport.
After pleading guilty, she was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison on August 4.
Yuri Ushakov, an adviser to President Putin, who served as Russia’s ambassador to the United States for 10 years from 1998 to 2008, believes: Joe Biden I just want to boost his grim midterm prospects.
Ushakov said Russia-1 Sunday: “In this tense situation, I think he’s thinking about the future first and foremost. midterm elections As such, it continues to emphasize the need to bring home basketball players who have been detained for drug smuggling. But that’s not the main issue we’re concerned with.
The Kremlin aide’s comments came days after Griner’s attorney, Alexander D. Boykov, said in an interview. new york times that his clients are suffering in prison;
An aide to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says releasing WNBA and Olympic star Britney Griner from jail on drug charges is “not a priority” for the Kremlin.
Putin’s adviser, Yuri Ushakov, who served as Russia’s ambassador to the United States for 10 years from 1998 to 2008, believes that President Joe Biden simply wants to boost prospects for tough midterm elections.
Asked if he would meet Putin at the G20 summit in Bali in November, US President Joe Biden said he had no good reason to meet with Kremlin chief, but if you want to talk about Mr Griner ask. said.
The Kremlin aide’s comments came days after Griner’s attorney, Alexander D. Boykov, said in an interview with The New York Times that his client was suffering in prison.
This is the moment Griner was arrested by police sniffer dogs at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport in February.
Griner was seen running his belongings through a scanner at a travel hub
Griner, who plays for Phoenix Mercury, has been in a Russian prison since February
Mr. Boykov explained that Mr. Griner said: According to his lawyer, Griner reads books about the Rolling Stones and Dostoevsky’s book Demons, and regularly plays games similar to Battleship.
He said Griner was forced to sleep in a bed that had been modified for her height.
Her lawyer continued, “She is still not entirely convinced that America will be able to bring her home. I am afraid that I will have to wear
Boykov said he last spoke to Griner on October 11. He said he was worried about the conditions she would face in her new prison after she appealed.
He added: “Perhaps the sentence will be changed in some way, perhaps the sentence will be commuted, because the decisions made in the first court are very different from judicial practice.”
“Given all the circumstances, and taking into account my client’s character traits and the fact that she pleaded guilty, such a verdict should be absolutely impossible,” the attorney continued.
Boykov explained the IK-1 Boykov explained that the IK-1 was too cold in winter and too warm in summer
The last notable prisoner to have spent time on IK-1 was Israeli-American Naama Issachar, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a third of an ounce was found in her luggage at a Moscow airport.
Boykov said it was nearly impossible for Griner to speak to friends and family, and even had difficulty arranging a phone call with the WNBA star’s wife, Sherrell.
He explained that the prison was too cold in winter and too hot in summer.
The last notable prisoner to have spent time on IK-1 was Israeli-American Naama Issachar, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a third of an ounce was found in her luggage at a Moscow airport.
She was initially charged with drug possession, which in Russia normally carries a one-month sentence, but was later upgraded to drug smuggling and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.
Putin later pardoned Issachar in a move seen as a political coup by then Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Issachar once reportedly said that the only part of the outside world that prisoners could see from their prisons was clouds.
Most Russian prisons are collective colonies, a system dating back to the Soviet concentration camp days, where inmates sleep in dormitories and work in production facilities.
a radio free europe A study from 2019 identified another prison, known as IK-14, as Russia’s “Most Horrible Correctional Facility for Women.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin is happy with a prison like this..he wants to get his hands on horrible tools..we need a place where everyone is afraid to go,’ says prisoner’s rights group Olga Romanova, head of Rus Sidyashchaya (Russia Behind Bars) said.
Asked if he would meet with Putin at the G20 summit in Bali in November, US President Joe Biden said there was no justification for meeting with the Kremlin chief.
“It really depends on what you want to talk about,” Biden told CNN, adding that if Putin wanted to talk about jailed American basketball star Britney Griner, he would be happy to do so. added.
“I see no reason to see him now,” Biden said.
The Kremlin remains shy about whether Putin will attend the summit.
Earlier this month, Cherelle Griner told CBS Mornings that she had only spoken to her twice since February. She called her one of those calls “the most disturbing call I’ve ever had.”
US citizen Paul Whelan is seen protesting the terms of his imprisonment in June 2020.
Former U.S. ambassador to UN seen as key player in negotiations to bring Griner home
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United States Bill Richardson traveled to Russia three weeks ago to aid negotiations and said he was confident an agreement would be reached to bring Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan home soon. rice field.
Richardson was partly responsible for the release of Marine Trevor Reed from a Russian prison in April.
Speaking to CNN on Sunday, he said his visit did not represent the United States, but that he met Russian officials and individuals close to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit.
“I’m cautiously optimistic about Griner (and) Whelan’s negotiations,” said Richard, a former governor of New Mexico who has personally worked to secure the release of Americans held abroad. Sung said.
Cherelle Griner (pictured) told CBS News earlier this month that it was the first time she had addressed the media since her wife Britney was convicted of drug possession in Russia.
Griner was arrested on February 17 at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on suspicion of drug possession.
The U.S. government has reportedly sentenced convicted arms dealers facing 25 years in prison for Griner and Paul Whelan, who are serving 16-year sentences for espionage in Russia. reportedly provided Victor Bout.
The White House has not confirmed which Russian prisoners of war will be exchanged.
Richardson added that he believed the exchange of detainees would include two Russians in exchange for two Americans. I didn’t do it.
Asked if the two Americans could be released by the end of the year, he said, “I think so. Okay, I hate making predictions, but yes.
Whelan, who holds US, UK, Canadian and Irish passports, was convicted of spying in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison. he denied his charges.
The United States said in late July that it had submitted a “substantial proposal” to secure the release of two Americans. He said he offered to trade Griner for Whelan.
Reports have surfaced that Moscow is seeking the release of a second Russian, but Washington has not confirmed details about the exact offer.
Negotiations are taking place amid a break in relations between the two countries after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11321819/Putin-aide-warns-WNBA-player-Brittney-Griner-Russian-prison-not-priority-us.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 Putin’s aide warns WNBA player Britney Griner from Russian prison ‘not a priority for us’
