Lawyer believes Griner can be released 3-5 months earlier than expected

Maria Yarmush, a specialist in civil and international law, as well as a specialist in contentious courts and child custody, believes that the conviction of the American basketball player Britney Griner can be shortened by 3-5 months.

Greiner was convicted in Russia in a drug trafficking case. On August 4, the Khimki City Court sentenced Greiner to 9 years in a penal colony and a fine of 1 million rubles.

“Although I think the trial court tried to assess it as objectively as possible, because the attention of society, the media and foreign states is riveted on this case, because the convicted person is a citizen of the States I’m sure all aspects were considered, the verdict was made based on the requirements of the law. The verdict is fair, but could be lowered. Usually the appellate court withdraws three to five months of the term, – said Yarmush RT.

Yarmush said negotiations on the Greiner exchange began on the initiative of the US side.

– And this is qualitatively different from the case of Konstantin Yaroshenko. Then the Russian consulate used all sorts of means to free him, and this exchange became known after it was made,” Yarmush said.

The basketball player was arrested in February on suspicion of trying to illegally import hash oil through Sheremetyevo airport. Since 2015, the American has been playing for UMMC in Yekaterinburg, she twice won the Olympics as part of the American team (2016, 2020).

Earlier, US media reported, citing a source in US President Joe Biden’s administration, that he supported plans to swap Russian Viktor Bout, who is serving a prison sentence in the US, for American citizens Greiner and Paul Whelan, who was sentenced in Russia to 16 years in prison for espionage.

RT