US holds consultations with Russia through all channels on returning Griner

The US has held consultations with Russia in recent weeks through all available channels on the issue of the returning Brittney Griner to her homeland, Report informs referring to TASS.

Earlier in the day, the Moscow Regional Court upheld the sentence of US basketball player Brittney Griner, convicted in the Russian Federation for drug smuggling to nine years in prison.

On August 4, a court in Khimki, near Moscow, sentenced Griner to nine years in prison, taking into account the confession of guilt and her athletic achievements as mitigating circumstances. She was found guilty under Part 1 of Art. 228 ("Illegal acquisition, storage, transportation of drugs without the purpose of sale") and Part 2 of Art. 229.1 ("Smuggling of narcotic drugs in a significant amount") of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Griner was arrested for the attempt to smuggle drugs into Russia through Sheremetyevo Airport. The athlete pleaded guilty to the deed, but stressed that she had put the cannabis oil in her bag in a hurry and without intent to smuggle drugs.