I think US consulate has something to do with this.
The official position is she was sentenced wrongly.
A plea for clemency seems like an unnecessary repentance to her.
All despite the fact she was caught with pot in airport and she doesn’t argue the fact but insists it is not criminal because the pot is for her own consumption.
Per Russian law it doesn’t make difference. Smuggling pot by itself is criminal.
They want to make a political prisoner out of thin air.
9.6 grams of hash not just pot.