WNBA star Brittney Griner is tried on suspicion of drugs in Russia

KHIMKI — US basketball star Brittney Griner on Friday He was tried in a court on the outskirts of Moscow and heard of drug charges that could serve him in a Russian prison for up to 10 years.

Greener, 31, was formally indicted at this first hearing for her intentional import of drugs into Russia. She said she understood her accusations. The judge has set up the next hearing on July 7.

Greener, who regularly plays for Russia and the American Women's Basketball Association (WNBA), was arrested for vape at Moscow Airport in February. She has a cartridge with hashish oil in her luggage. The

incident took place against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Moscow and Washington over the conflict in Ukraine. US officials say Greener was illegally detained.

Greener arrives at the Khimki City Court near Sheremetyevo International Airport, hand-locked shortly after noon (0900 GMT), wearing a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt and shoelaceless sneakers. did.

The court was attended by three employees of the US Embassy, ​​including Deputy Chief of Mission Elizabeth Ruud. Greener sat in the defendant's cage with a plastic bag of cookies and a bottle of mineral water.

Grinner told Reuters reporters that she was difficult to detain because she couldn't speak Russian, and she was able to stay fit because she could only do general exercise such as stretching. She said she didn't.

Her lawyer did not say how she intended to defend.

"TOUGH LADY"

"She is a little worried because she will be tried and sentenced in the near future, but she is a tough woman. I think she'll do something about it, "said lawyer Alexander Boykov after the hearing.

Ruud said the United States is working very hard to bring Greener back to her home.

When asked about the incident, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied it was a political motivation.

"I can only operate with known facts. The facts show that prominent athletes were detained with illegal drugs, including drugs. Russia's provisions for punishment for such crimes. There is an article on the law, "he told reporters. "Only the court can pass the verdict."

US officials and many athletes are calling for the release of Greener ("BG"), known to basketball fans.

Some have expressed concern that Moscow may use two Olympic gold medalists to negotiate the release of prominent Russians under US control.

Phoenix Mercury's center, Griner, is playing at UMMC Yekaterinburg in the Russian Women's Basketball Premier League to increase her income during the WNBA's off-season, just like any other U.S. player. I did.

Although some have left the Russian League since Grinner's detention and Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, the WNBA's regular season began in May.

I was contacted by email on Friday, but the WNBA said there was no immediate statement.

Grinner's wife, Sherel Grinner, told CNN in an interview Thursday that she wanted to meet with US President Joe Biden.

"The rhetoric and action do not match," she said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that it was "not a high priority" over taking Greener and other "unjustly detained Americans" home.

"We won't quit our job until they meet their loved ones again," he said.

US House of Representatives Colin Allred, a Democrat of the House Foreign Affairs Committee who met with State Department staff to handle Greener's case, said Greener's supporters publicly pleaded for her release. I told CNN that it was important to continue.

"The best thing at one point was to keep this away from the headlines," he said. "Now we are outside of political pressure, outside of global pressure ... we hope that all kinds of pressure will help."

The US Government said. He warned citizens about their trip to Russia in the light of "potential harassment of US citizens by Russian government security officials."