Brittney Griner arrest: Ex-Pentagon official questions validity of accusations

Britney Griner has been held in Russia for greater than a month over allegations she was carrying vape cartridges containing oils derived from hashish via a Moscow airport in February.

Evelyn Farkas, the previous deputy assistant secretary of protection, instructed NBC’s “TODAY” on Thursday it’s unclear whether or not the WNBA star truly had these objects on her when she was touring again to Russia.

“We don’t know whether or not she introduced these hash vaping objects into Russia or not. The Russians are infamous for planting medicine and different issues on Individuals,” Farkas stated.

U.S. State Division spokesperson Ned Worth stated on CNN on Wednesday that an official from the U.S. Embassy was in a position to see the Phoenix Mercury middle not too long ago and he or she was stated to be “in good situation.” The Russian authorities allowed the U.S. to present consular entry to Griner weeks after her arrest was reported.

WNBA STAR BRITTNEY GRINER SAID TO BE IN ‘GOOD CONDITION’ UNDER RUSSIAN CUSTODY

Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury warms up earlier than the sport in opposition to the Chicago Sky throughout Recreation One of many 2021 WNBA Finals on Oct. 10, 2021 at Footprint in Phoenix, Arizona.
(Michael Gonzales/NBAE through Getty Pictures)

Griner is simply one of many Individuals at present held in Russia. Paul Whelan, a U.S. Marine, obtained a 16-year sentence on espionage fees in 2020. Trevor Reed, one other U.S. Marine, obtained a nine-year sentence for allegedly putting a Russian police officer in 2019. Each males deny the costs.

“Russia has a horrendous human rights file they usually’re ready to launch lots of people being held in opposition to their will, not simply these three Individuals,” Farkas stated on “TODAY.”

Griner may resist 10 years in a Russian jail if convicted.

Russian legislation skilled Peter Maggs of the College of Illinois School of Regulation predicted that her pending authorized case may lead to doable time spent at a labor camp, or an entire dismissal and exportation from the nation.

Brittney Griner in the course of the Ladies’s Semifinal Basketball sport between the U.S. and Serbia on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Video games on Aug. 6, 2021 in Saitama, Japan.
(Jean Catuffe/Getty Pictures)

“You are speaking about 5 years, not jail time, however a labor camp,” he instructed the Related Press. “One factor I discover a little bit worrisome is that this extension of her preliminary holding from two months to 3 months, as a result of you must go to a better authority to get it lengthened.”

Fox Information’ Lawrence Richard and the Related Press contributed to this report.