A Russian court on Tuesday rejected US basketball star Brittney Griner's appeal against a nine-year prison sentence.A court in the city of Krasnogorsk, located immediately northwest of Moscow, ruled to leave the verdict "without change".

Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Why was Brittney Griner arrested?

Griner was arrested on February 17 at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. The substance is banned in Russia.

She was sentenced on August 4 to nine years in a penal colony for possession and smuggling of drugs.

The court that handed Griner her 9-year sentence found that she had committed the crime "deliberately." Griner had pleaded guilty, while maintaining in her testimony that it was an "honest mistake" and that she had packed "in a rush."

Her defense team presented statements saying she had been prescribed the cannabis oil to treat pain. It also argued that the 9-year term was excessive, saying that in similar cases defendants have received an average sentence of about five years.

US-Russia tensions

US officials have said that Griner was "wrongfully detained," an accusation denied by Moscow. The basketball star's arrest came just days before the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Last month, US President Joe Biden met with Griner's wife Cherelle and called the verdict "unacceptable." He said that his administration was doing "everything that we can" to push for her release.

In July, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that Washington had made a "substantial proposal to get Griner home. The White House said that it has yet to receive a productive response from Russia, while Russian officials have urged the US to discuss the matter in confidential talks.

Washington has also called for the release of former US marine Paul Whelan, who was accused of espionage and handed a 16-year jail term in 2020.

More to follow…