Brittney Griner Doesn’t Expect ‘Miracles to Happen’ With Her Appeal

Since she was sentenced in August, her lawyers have argued that the nine-year prison term — near the 10-year maximum for such a conviction — was too harsh for a first-time offense and was politically motivated.

American officials have accused Russia of using Ms. Griner and other Americans in Russian custody as bargaining chips. In July, the Biden administration offered a prisoner swap involving Ms. Griner, but Russian officials said it was premature to discuss a deal while her case was underway.

President Biden has said that there had been no movement with the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, over Ms. Griner’s case. He also told CNN that he would only talk to Mr. Putin at a Group of 20 meeting to be held in Bali, Indonesia, next month if it was to discuss her situation.

Bill Richardson, the former New Mexico governor and ambassador to the United Nations who has been unofficially negotiating with Russian officials as a private citizen, said in October that he was “cautiously optimistic” that Ms. Griner can be exchanged together with Paul Whelan, who has been serving time in a Russian prison, before the end of the year.

Ms. Griner’s lawyers said that she was allowed to walk outside once a day in a small courtyard at her detention center. She spends the rest of her time in a small cell with two cellmates, sitting and sleeping on a specially elongated bed to accommodate her 6-foot-9 frame.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/24/world/europe/brittney-griner-russia-appeal.html