A Russian court on Thursday (August 4, 2022) sentenced American basketball star Britney Greiner to nine years in prison in a drug case after she was convicted of drug possession and smuggling after she brought cannabis-filled cartridges to Russia.
In its ruling, the court said Greiner committed the crime “intentionally”. Greiner will spend “a total of nine years” in a Russian “prison complex,” Judge Anna Sotnikova announced in court.
The judge added that the 31-year-old would have to pay a fine of 1 million rubles ($16,590).
The Russian prosecutor had asked the court to impose a prison sentence of nine and a half years on Greiner, who said in her closing arguments that her bringing the cartridges to Russia was a “good faith mistake.”
American basketball player Britney Greiner
US President Joe Biden condemned the ruling, saying it was “unacceptable”. “Russia is unfairly detaining Britney (Grainer). This is unacceptable and I call on Russia to release her immediately so that she can join her partner, loved ones, friends and teammates,” Biden said.
Biden confirmed his intention to “work tirelessly” to bring back Greiner and Paul Whelan, an American also detained in Russia, in a statement issued minutes after the verdict was announced.
Moscow had announced a week ago that negotiations with the United States on the prisoner exchange are still ongoing, but there is no agreement to exchange Britney Greiner with imprisoned Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
This comes in response to statements by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that Washington made a “serious offer” to Moscow to secure the release of Greiner, as well as Paul Whelan, a former US Marine, who is also detained in Russia.
Greiner was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February with electronic cigarette cartridges containing cannabis oil, while Whelan was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison in Russia after being convicted of espionage.
A.A./A.H (DPA, AFP, Reuters)
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
The Grim Reaper Pampers His Step-mother
“The Grim Reaper” or “Death” (in the words of the Grimm brothers “The Godfather’s Death”) holds Putin in his arms, sings and nurses him. For Italian cartoonist Paolo Lombardi, war found its ideal protégé in the Russian president. Blue flies hover around the Grim Reaper and Putin, waiting for the next victims.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
The navigation device is in the hands of the devil
Death is behind the wheel, and Satan is reading the roadmap. As an unbeatable team, they direct the Russian president into World War III. Putin’s eyes have already caught fire. It is a hopeless situation now, according to the interpretation of the Dutch painter Gerd Ruyards. But can the navigation system be reprogrammed?
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
Weapon Evolution
There was a belief that perhaps humanity learned something new over the millennia and that they would live together in peace. On the contrary, it was not thought that developed, but only the quality of weapons, according to the point of view of the Uzbek artist Mahmud Ishunkulov. Whereas the Neanderthals used to brandish their femur-bone weapon in battle, today’s soldier is equipped with high-tech precision weapons.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
The fake news war too
But wars are no longer conducted with conventional weapons only. Propaganda on all fronts is also part of it. Whether it’s via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, social networks are an amazing way to spread fake news among people, believes Cuban Miguel Morales. And the worst of it is that the alleged facts circulating in the media are usually not verified.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
“Hungry Russia”
Like Ukraine, Lithuania was once part of the powerful Soviet Union until it declared its independence in 1990. But the former “sister countries” know the mood that moves Russia. And it’s not just the cartoonist Kazis Kestotis Ciaolitis who fears that Putin’s hunger for power will spread to other countries.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
“Scream” .. No to war
Through a painful experience, Afghans know for themselves what war means in one’s own country. In his cartoon, Shahid Atiqullah borrowed from Norwegian artist Edvard Munch his famous painting “The Scream” from 1893. Here the terrified face is understood as a reaction to the scenes of bombed cities in Ukraine.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
future prospects
At first glance, this caricature of Romanian painter Marian Avramescu also reminds us of a famous artist, the Dutch M. bad. Escher, who was drawing things against any logic and without any horizon. It also appears that Ukraine has no prospects in light of Russian supremacy, but Ukraine has given the world a better lesson.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
Love instead of war
Since the Russian army invaded Ukraine, people all over the world have been demonstrating against the brutal aggressive war, but to no avail, according to Turkish painter Menkeci Cam. Neither tyrants nor death allow peace activists to influence them; This is what history has shown often enough.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
Ukraine prefers NATO
For a long time, Ukraine was close to the “brotherly people” of Russia. But the country’s independence no longer fits with Putin’s worldview, as he considers Ukraine to be part of a major Russian empire. And for painter Amer from the UAE, it’s no wonder that tiny Ukraine is eagerly looking forward to NATO. But Russia does not want to be allowed to follow this desire.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
global threat
From the point of view of the Tanzanian painter “Bubba”, this war is not only about Ukraine, but about power and power in the world. Russia threatens the Western world with nuclear war if it continues to interfere. This is not satisfied with the United States, which can immediately launch a retaliatory strike. There is fear all over the world that someone will press the red button, the nuclear button.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
Putin’s way of negotiating
On the diplomatic stage, Western politicians are trying everything to bring the Russian president to the negotiating table. Putin’s long table, at which he sits at some distance from his international visitors, has raised eyebrows around the world. In the view of German cartoonist Agostino Taleh, what matters to a narcissistic Putin is his belief: Ukraine should not exist.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
Dr. Octobutin controls energy
In his negotiations with the West, the Russian president has a powerful argument: many European countries depend on Russian gas and oil. ‘Dr. Octobotin’, as Rodrigo of Macau/China sees it, has the upper hand. Despite all the sanctions, Germany and other countries still get energy from Russia, thus financing Putin’s war fund.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
First class refugees?
In huge numbers, Ukrainians have fled the war, and Europe welcomes them with open arms, as they are simply greeted at the border by a wave of welcome. For all the sympathy for refugees, Filipino cartoonist Zack wonders if there are double standards? And that they are allowed to enter the country because of their light skin color? Because the European Union usually closes its borders tightly.
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International cartoonists’ impressions of Putin and his war on Ukraine
Chinese accounts
For years, Australia has felt threatened by China, which has been striving for supremacy in the South Pacific, and has repeatedly hinted at its intention to annex Taiwan. According to Australian cartoonist Prollman, pandas are watching closely whether the Russian bear will swallow the Ukrainian honey, or whether the bee colony will expel it. And if the bear doesn’t succeed, the panda can try its luck in another bowl. Prepared by: Suzanne Cordes / Salah Sharara
