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WNBA star Brittney Griner sentenced to nine years in prison by Russian judge for drug possession and smuggling (UP: Released)
- Thread starter ElectricBlanketFire
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Aye, an arms dealer with strong connections to Russian military intelligence (GRU).
She's been made as an example and a political pawn in a bigger international event.
Not entirely sure this will help attract tourists from Western Europe/The U.S in future, but I'm sure this "win" (in Russia's eyes) will totally negate everything else going on long-term for Russia, especially its economy.
I feel bad for the lady, hopefully there will be some way to get her back safely.
I feel bad for the lady, hopefully there will be some way to get her back safely.
You know how if North Korea did this, we wouldn't believe anything they said? Russia may have less credibility than North Korea at this point. Griner has played in Russia during the WNBA off-season for almost 10 years. This is so obviously politically motivated, it's basically comic-book villain stuff. This is the US equivalent to "we can't give you more gas because our turbine is broken." It doesn't really matter what you do; they aren't negotiating in good faith. They just hope enough people believe that it's actually Griner's fault even though if you're paying attention, they don't actually let her tell her side of the story.
From what I understand from similar cases, the trial being done and her receiving a sentence is actually a good sign for the deal, because Russia won't do prisoner swaps before that's happened.
Russia Makes a prisoner change offer so ridicilous, that they knew the US would say no, and then try to pin it on the US. Its same old Russia BS. They want an assassin that killed someone on German Soil. Its unfortunate and horrible for Brittney that she is being held as a Pawn by Putin.
Sounds about like Texas
I think you can still get a life sentence for cannabis extracts there
Edit: concentrate laws are pretty strict but still multiple times not as bad. Texas is indeed about as fucked.
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User Banned (1 Month): Xenophobic Rhetoric; Prior Ban for Similar Generalization
Russia doing everything in its power to remind everyone that they're a degenerate terrorist state. Griner doesn't deserve this, and hopefully no one from a real country will ever consider visiting this cesspool of drunken predatory garbagemen again.
I wish Russia could get its act together. It's a massive, beautiful country that people would love to visit (myself included), but that isn't happening anytime soon.
I don't even trust Russia to let her go even if we were to offer up the people they want in return.
I don't believe anything Russia says on this whatsoever, even given the fact there is zero justification for this even if true.
Russia must be completely isolated. Fucking pariah state fuckers.
Crimes of possession scare me. They don't have to prove an act or behaviour. They don't have to prove damage or have a victim. All they have to say is they found it on you. No one is safe from that. What's more, the punishment is usually disconnected from sense and utterly disproportionate because "drugs". It's the ultimate method of state oppression and control.
Russia must be completely isolated. Fucking pariah state fuckers.
Crimes of possession scare me. They don't have to prove an act or behaviour. They don't have to prove damage or have a victim. All they have to say is they found it on you. No one is safe from that. What's more, the punishment is usually disconnected from sense and utterly disproportionate because "drugs". It's the ultimate method of state oppression and control.
Pretty obvious this is a trumped up charged with orders right from Putin's brass.
I remember reading that this type of charges just gets a deportation usually, but Putin is trying to antagonize the West right now.
She told her side of the story. That isn't the problem. The vape cartridges weren't planted.
The sentencing is what's complete bullshit here. It should've been a fine and time served, done (AND EVEN THEN she served way too much time by Russian law). The sentencing is way out of line with what she was caught for and complete bullshit / proves she's being used as a political prisoner. That and the people Russia are requesting in return is also not nearly what one would consider equivalent.
It sucks / Russia's government is evil.
Hope they can get her out
This was one of the bigger surprises to me in this story when i found out. Like this is clearly some bullshit and its disgusting they turned her into a political pawn
This was one of the bigger surprises to me in this story when i found out. Like this is clearly some bullshit and its disgusting they turned her into a political pawn
That's another reason why the US can't give Russia money for her release. Russia would use that money to fund more artillery in their war against Ukraine
Does anyone have a current number of foreigners convicted and currently jailed in Russia for possession of THC (or any drug possession I guess)?
I'm always curious about numbers like that. How often does this happen and how harsh are the punishments on average. I know China executes drug dealers and traffickers on the regular, but I have no knowledge of how Russia does things.
I'm always curious about numbers like that. How often does this happen and how harsh are the punishments on average. I know China executes drug dealers and traffickers on the regular, but I have no knowledge of how Russia does things.
there is at least one more from last year, even more severe sentence and it seems like everyone forgot about him.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/07/28/marc-fogel-teacher-russia-prison/
got 14 years; is not even mentioned in the prisoner exchange.
No fame hurt this guy. Hopefully more and more people mention him so he is included in the exchange.
User Banned (Permanent): Troll Account
Maybe next time don't go to foreign country and assume local laws do not apply to you because you're an American.
Fuck Russia but the amount of people in this thread that defend her purely because she's a woman/poc is weird.
If she did that in Singapore or Malaysia, she would have gotten more than just jail time or possibly a noose.
One cannot plead ignorance when certain countries have very strict drug laws.
I wonder if people that defend her so hard in this thread are so sympathetic towards foreigners that break laws in Us and go to jail because they didn't know the local law.
Pretty much, but fame will only nudge the needle. The US will most likely stamp their feet, say Russia is bad, and then move on if the deal does not work. They never cared she was in prison in the first place.
This is the same country where gay propaganda is illegal but beating your wife is not. Fuck their laws.
Also, this is your 5th post ever on Era. And you're going hard on people defending others "purely for being a woman/poc." Tell us how you really feel.
The US? Who is 'the US'? Who is 'they'? The administration? The public?
The situation is considerably more complicated by the war in Ukraine. This situation is now highly political and has become much more serious than just some random idiot smuggling and using drugs in Russia. I don't think I've seen anyone defending her poor decision. Instead, the conversation is more about how her situation is being used as political theater.
I think it is very obvious in this context especially with regards me mentioning a deal that I am speaking about the US government. I could possibly be more specific too, but it is easier to say the government or the US in this context. I don't think the US people have the ability to negotiate this deal like collective bargaining.
So them offering up individuals that are extremely dangerous and were off limits before this situation doesn't count for anything?
Obvious result. Russia isn't going to just let her go when they're hoping to arrange a trade. And people are rarely acquitted in Russian courts anyway.
It counts for something, but I don't think this deal would be put forward if the attention wasn't there or else there is something in the timeline from her arrest til now that I missed. She wouldn't be the first political prisoner to be left. Like, did the guy in Russia even have this much US support before Griner got arrested and it became a big news story?
Yeah that's a bit fucked. I'm pretty sure I've got friends who have dealt weed in the past and I don't have any contact with these days but haven't bothered to delete their numbers.
It was already confirmed that we were going to make that swap.
Now Russia is also asking for a former colonel in their domestic spy division as well who has life in prison in Germany.
There are many steps and actions that happen in the background when it comes to rescuing political prisoners. The public and often times the families are not even made aware of it.
The US is a shit country, no doubt but this is one area that I won't be too critical.
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