On Tuesday, a Russian court upheld WNBA player Brittney Griner's nine-year sentence on marijuana possession charges. The denial of Griner's appeal was expected, and it will pave the way for Griner to be transferred to a Russian penal colony, where she will begin serving out her sentence. Though U.S. officials have previously indicated the possibility of a prisoner exchange, the likelihood of a swap and of Griner's release remains unclear.
In February, Griner was detained at a Moscow airport after officials allegedly found two vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. In the ensuing months, officials stressed the political nature of the arrest, which occurred just days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In May, U.S. officials declared that Griner was "wrongfully detained."
