Antony Blinken: “Today’s denial of appeal for Brittney Griner is another failure of justice”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had strong words for Russia after a Moscow court upheld the decision to sentence weed-smuggler WNBA player Brittney Griner to nine years in prison.

“Today’s denial of appeal for Brittney Griner is another failure of justice, compounding the injustice of her detention,” tweeted Blinken on Tuesday. “Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney, and nothing about her conviction or the denial of this appeal changes that. Securing her release is our priority.”