Russia releases US Marine Robert Gilman on humanitarian grounds
Advocates describe detainee’s condition as life-threatening, crediting political intervention for his transfer to US medical care.
Russia has released former US Marine Robert Gilman on humanitarian grounds, concluding a detention that has spanned more than four years. Gilman, a 32-year-old teacher, was flown to a US military hospital in Texas for medical and psychological assessment following his release from a Russian prison system where he served a significant portion of a 10-year sentence imposed on disputed charges.
The release was characterised by the US State Department as a unilateral humanitarian act, explicitly stating that it was not part of a prisoner exchange and involved no other concessions. The department welcomed the move, expressing hope that it would facilitate the release of other Americans wrongfully detained in Russia, including Stephen Hubbard.
Gilman’s advocate, Eric Lebson of Global Reach, described the former marine as gravely ill and at risk of dying due to alleged abusive conditions. Lebson stated that Gilman had been in a dissociative stupor for 47 days prior to his release, having been moved from a prison to a civilian hospital where he was on a feeding tube and handcuffed to a bed. Hospital reports reportedly described his condition as dire and life-threatening.
The legal trajectory of Gilman’s imprisonment began in 2022 after he was detained for causing a disturbance on a train, leading to a 3.5-year sentence for beating a police officer. Subsequent convictions for attacking a prison inspector, beating an investigator, and assaulting guards resulted in an eight-year, one-month sentence in October 2024, which was later extended to 10 years. He remains one of at least eight Americans still in Russian custody following recent high-profile exchanges.
Gilman’s family, including his mother who had been attempting to visit him in Russia, has travelled to Texas to be with him. His sister, Lexie Hudson, credited President Donald Trump and Senator Ed Markey with securing his release, stating that there was no other reason for her brother’s survival. Senator Markey, who had called for US-Russia cooperation to secure Gilman’s freedom, attributed the detainee’s precarious health to physical torture and forced medication by Russian authorities.
