KHIMKI, Russia (AP) — U.S. basketball star Brittney Greener testified Wednesday at her Russian drug trial that a language interpreter translated only part of what was said during her interrogation and officials instructed her to sign documents, without giving an explanation.
Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February. She admitted in court earlier this month that she had vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage when she arrived in Russia, but claimed she had no criminal intent and packed the cartridges inadvertently.
During his testimony, the Phoenix Mercury standout described a grueling 13-hour flight to Moscow from Arizona while recovering from COVID-19. Griner said she still doesn’t know how the cannabis oil ended up in her purse, but explained that she had a doctor’s prescription for it and packed it in a hurry.
She remembers being pulled aside at the airport on February 17 after inspectors found the cartridges.
Along with the translator, who provided an incomplete translation, Griner said she was given neither an explanation of her rights nor access to a lawyer and was instructed to sign documents without an explanation of what they meant.
After hours of procedures she did not understand, she was allowed to hand over her personal belongings to a lawyer before being led away in handcuffs, Griner said. She said she received only a cursory translation of the charges during a hearing on February 19 where a court sanctioned her arrest.
Griner faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of drug trafficking. Her trial began on July 1, and Wednesday was her first appearance as a witness. The court outside Moscow held five previous hearings, which were brief, some lasting only about an hour.
It is not clear how long the trial will last, but the court ordered Greener’s detention until December 20. She went to Russia to play for a Russian team in the WNBA offseason.
During Tuesday’s roughly 90-minute hearing, a Russian neuropsychologist testified about the worldwide use of medical cannabis, which remains illegal in Russia. Griner’s defense team presented a letter from an American doctor recommending that the basketball player use medical cannabis to treat pain.
Griner testified Wednesday that she has been in pain from injuries sustained during her basketball career. She emphasized that cannabis oil is widely used in the United States for medicinal purposes and has fewer negative effects than some other pain relievers.
A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said last week that the legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational use in parts of the US had nothing to do with what was happening in Russia.
Greiner’s slow process and five months in detention drew strong criticism from teammates and supporters in the United States, who officially declared her “unlawfully detained,” a designation vehemently denied by Russian officials.
Griner was arrested in February amid heightened tensions between the US and Moscow before Russia sent troops into Ukraine later that month. Some supporters claim she is being held in Russia as a pawn, possibly for a prisoner exchange. Famous American soccer star Megan Rapinoe said last week that she is “apparently being held as a political prisoner.”
Russian media have speculated that Griner could be traded for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is in prison in the United States, and that Paul Whalen, an American arrested in Russia for espionage, could also be involved in the swap.
US officials have not commented on the prospects for such a trade. Russian officials said no exchange could be discussed until the legal proceedings against Griner were concluded.
Add Comment