{O/C} A massive setback today for WNBA star Brittney Griner today as the appeal against her 9-year drug prison sentence was rejected by a Russian court.
{Take SOT}
At the Moscow Regional Court today, a distressed Griner appeared via video link from a penal institution, pleading for leniency.
{Soundbite}
BRITTNEY GRINER, WNBA Star Imprisoned in Russia:
This has been (a) very traumatic experience waiting for this day.
I just beg that the court takes in all of the things that were overlooked during the first court (hearing) and reassess my sentence here.
{VO}
But to rub salt in the wound, judges outright ruled she must serve another eight years for smuggling vape cartridges carrying cannabis oil, which is illegal in Russia.
Griner was arrested back in February, a week before the Ukraine invasion, in a contentious move that heightened U.S.-Russia relations.
She and her lawyers had called for her sentence to be commuted, and even an acquittal.
While Griner has admitted it was "an honest mistake", the court still upheld her nine-year jail sentence.
The top U.S. diplomat in Russia expressed outrage.
{Soundbite}
ELIZABETH ROOD, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Russia:
The excessive and disproportionate sentence of nine years in a penal colony...
Nothing in the previous sentence, nothing in the result of today's appeal changes the fact that the United States government considers Griner to be wrongfully detained.
{VO}
The move also sparked backlash from Washington, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling the sentence "another failure of justice compounding the injustice of her detention."
Washington has offered Russia a possible prisoner swap by handing jailed Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in exchange for Griner.
Reinvigorated by his new COVID booster shot, President Joe Biden said Washington has been in close contact with Russian authorities, despite their lukewarm response.
{Soundbite}
JOE BIDEN, U.S. President:
We are in constant contact with Russian authorities to get Brittney and others out.
And so far, we've not been meeting with much positive response. But we're not stopping.
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