Jailed Ex-U.S. Marine May Be Near Death in Russian Custody, Family and Advocacy Groups Warn

White House Urges Moscow to Release Robert Gilman for Urgent Medical Treatment                                                         

                                   

A former United States Marine imprisoned in Russia since 2022 may be close to death after reportedly falling into a severe medical condition while in custody, according to his sister and two American hostage advocacy organisations.

The former Marine, Robert Gilman, is said to have slipped into what medical professionals described as a dissociative stupor in June and is now being tube-fed while receiving treatment at a psychiatric facility in the Russian city of Voronezh.

Family Fears for His Life

Gilman's sister, Lexie Hudson, said the family fears they may never see him alive again unless Russian authorities allow his release.

“I am more afraid for my brother than I have been since this horrible nightmare started. I'm worried that I may never see him again if the Russians don't release him,” she said.

Advocacy groups representing the family say Gilman has become largely unresponsive and now relies on tube feeding after his condition deteriorated dramatically.

White House Calls for Release

The White House and the U.S. State Department have urged Russia to release Gilman immediately so he can receive specialised medical care in the United States.

According to Global Reach, an organisation assisting the family, U.S. officials have repeatedly raised the case with Russian authorities, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reported to have discussed Gilman's situation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during recent diplomatic contacts.

A senior Trump administration official said the U.S. government remains "deeply concerned" about Gilman's health and continues to seek his return.

Prison Sentence and Allegations

Gilman was arrested in Russia in 2022 after an incident in which he was accused of assaulting a police officer while intoxicated.

Initially sentenced to 4½ years in prison, his sentence was later extended to 10 years after Russian authorities accused him of assaulting prison staff.

His family and advocacy groups strongly dispute both sets of allegations, claiming he has been subjected to torture, harsh prison conditions and injections of mind-altering drugs while in custody.

Concerns Over Medical Care

According to supporters, Gilman was transferred from a prison hospital to the psychiatric ward of a civilian hospital after entering the dissociative state.

His mother has reportedly been prevented from visiting him despite obtaining a court order allowing access, while U.S. consular officials and his Russian lawyer have also been denied visits in recent weeks.

Diplomatic Implications

Gilman is among at least 10 known American citizens currently imprisoned in Russia, making his case another sensitive issue in already strained relations between Washington and Moscow.

Hostage advocates have compared his condition to that of Otto Warmbier, the American student who returned from detention in North Korea in a coma before dying shortly afterward, warning that urgent action may be needed to prevent a similar outcome.

Neither the Russian Embassy in Washington nor Russian authorities have publicly commented on the latest claims regarding Gilman's condition.