Moscow court extends arrest of US basketball star Brittney Griner until 19 May
Brittney Griner’s arrest has been extended until 19 May, according to Russian state news agency TASS. In February, the American basketball star was detained after authorities found hashish oil in her luggage.
If the two-time Olympic gold medalist is found guilty, she could face up to 10 years in prison. As per TASS, a Moscow court “granted the request of the investigation and extended the period of detention of the US citizen Griner until May 19.” Griner is currently in a detention centre in Khimki City, 14 miles northwest of downtown Moscow.
According to human rights group Public Monitoring Commission, she is sharing a cell with two other prisoners. One of the group’s members, Ekaterina Kalugina, is quoted by TASS as saying Griner has not complained about her conditions, although the beds in her cell are “clearly designed for a shorter person”. “The only objective problem was the height of the basketball player—203 centimetres,” she said.
At the time of her detainment, Griner was an active player on the Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg. Following news of Griner’s detainment, her agent Linsday Kagawa said they are “aware” of her situation and are “in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams and the WNBA and NBA.” “As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental health and physical health remain our primary concern,” she told ESPN.
