US officials denied access to basketball star — State Department

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US officials have not seen American basketball star Brittney Griner since she was arrested in Moscow last month on drug charges because Russian authorities have repeatedly denied their requests, a State Department spokesperson told Axios Thursday night.

Driving the news: “We have repeatedly asked for consular access to these detainees and have consistently been denied access,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

“Russia must abide by its legal obligations and allow us to provide consular services for US citizens detained in Russia,” the spokesperson added.

The big picture: The spokesperson said US officials were “closely engaged on this case and in frequent contact with” the legal team of the WNBA player, who’s had her detention extended until May 19, according to the state-run Tass news agency.

Griner, a double Olympic gold medalist, was detained as relations between Russia and the US deteriorated, on Feb. 17 after Russian Federal Customs Service accused her of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.That same day, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned in a speech to before the United Nations Security Council that the US believed Russia’s military would Ukraine within days. One week later, the invasion began.

What they’re saying: “We insist the Russian government provide consular access to all US citizen detainees in Russia, including those in pre-trial detention, as Brittney Griner is,” the spokesperson said.

“We insist the Russian government provide consular access to all US citizen detainees in Russia, including those in pre-trial detention, as Brittney Griner is,” they added.”We take our responsibility to assist US citizens seriously, and we will continue to press for fair and transparent treatment for all US citizens when they are subject to legal processes overseas.”ESPN reported earlier Thursday that US officials still hadn’t seen the seven-time All Star for the Phoenix Mercury. A source close to Griner told the outlet: “I wouldn’t say she’s ‘good,’ but she’s OK.”

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with more details on Griner’s detention and further context.

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