CNN
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Trevor Reed, a US citizen freed earlier this 12 months after being detained in Russia for practically three years, mentioned Friday that Brittney Griner’s sentence by a Russian court docket is “clearly political.”
Griner, a WNBA star who was arrested in Russia in February, was convicted Thursday of intentionally smuggling medication into Russia and sentenced to 9 years of jail time. She performs there within the low season and was accused of making an attempt to smuggle lower than 1 gram of hashish oil in her baggage.
“No matter how you’re feeling about Brittney Griner’s case, that sentence is clearly political. There’s no denying that,” Reed informed CNN’s Brianna Keilar on “New Day.”
Reed, a former US Marine, was arrested in Russia in 2019, accused of endangering the “life and well being” of Russian cops in an altercation – expenses that he and his household denied. He was sentenced by a Russian court docket to 9 years in jail in 2020 and had been transferred to a labor camp throughout his detainment. Reed was launched in a prisoner swap in April and returned residence to the US.
Reed on Friday laid out what might occur subsequent for Griner, who has returned to the Russian detention middle the place she was saved throughout her trial whereas her legal professionals vow to enchantment the sentence.
“As soon as you’re convicted in Russian court docket, you do have an opportunity to go to appeals, and enchantment that call to a different kangaroo court docket in Moscow. So after that trial, you recognize, relying on Brittney’s determination on whether or not she needs to enchantment or not, she might keep in Moscow on the detention facility that she is already at till her appeals are accomplished. Or if she chooses to not go to appeals, they might switch her to a pressured labor camp. Contemplating the truth that the Russian authorities is contemplating exchanging her, they might additionally resolve to depart her in Moscow to make it simpler for her to be returned to the USA,” Reed mentioned.
Reed mentioned anybody who’s held in a Russian pressured labor camp is “dealing with critical threats to their well being” as a result of malnutrition, little to no medical consideration and the chance of contracting illnesses.
The Biden administration has labeled Griner as wrongfully detained and continues to barter for her launch.
Reed had beforehand informed CNN that he believes Griner and Paul Whelan, one other wrongfully detained American in Russia, “have a very good probability” of being launched following CNN’s unique reporting that the Biden administration provided to trade convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout as a part of a possible deal to safe Griner and Whelan’s launch.
Russian authorities officers requested final month {that a} former colonel from the nation’s home spy company, who was convicted of homicide in Germany final 12 months, be included within the US’ proposed swap of Bout for Griner and Whelan, a number of sources aware of the discussions informed CNN.
Russia’s overseas minister, Sergey Lavrov, informed reporters in Cambodia on Friday that the Kremlin is “prepared to debate this subject, however inside the framework of the channel that has been agreed by the presidents,” state information company RIA Novosti reported. And shortly after, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned on the similar summit that the US will “pursue” talks with Russia.
Reed informed CNN Friday: “I hope that there will probably be an trade that we’re capable of get them residence, so I hope for the most effective in that.”
