American basketball player Brittney Griner will stay in detention in Russia despite the U.S. calling her incarceration “illegal.” Russia’s Foreign Ministry told CNN on Friday that the pro player, who stars for Russian UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA off-season, is facing as much as 10 years in prison for smuggling an illegal substance into the country. “She was caught red-handed while trying to smuggle hash oil,” it said in a statement. “In Russia, this is a crime.” The statement went on to explain that the Khimki District Court in Moscow made the decision to detain her on Feb. 18 and that she is being held in one of Russia’s detention centers. “The charges are serious, based on objective facts and evidence that is available,” the statement continued. “Attempts by the State Department to cast doubt on the validity of the detention of B. Griner are explained solely by the desire to influence justice by politicizing a generally understandable situation.”
