Russian court upholds nine-year sentence for US basketball star

A Russian court today rejected an appeal by US basketball star Brittney Griner against her nine-year prison sentence.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist has been in Russian custody since she was arrested 17 February at a Moscow airport. Russian authorities said they found vape cartridges in her possession that contained cannabis oil, which is banned in Russia. She was sentenced on 4 August to nine years in a penal colony.

Her family has decried her detention as politically motivated, with many of her supporters raising concerns for her safety, in regards to her race and sexuality. Griner is married to a woman. The US has characterised Griner’s arrest and subsequent sentencing as a “wrongful detention”.