Marine veteran Robert Gilman near death in Russian custody, family says
U.S. Marine Robert Gilman, imprisoned in Russia since 2022, has deteriorated to an unresponsive state and is being tube-fed in a psychiatric hospital.
Conversation activity · last 27 hours peak 2/30m
Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 6 items across 3 sources · 8h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old former U.S. Marine from Massachusetts who went to Russia to teach English, was arrested in 2022 for allegedly hitting a Russian police officer. His sentence was extended from 4.5 years to a decade, and he was recently transferred to a psychiatric hospital in what advocates describe as a dissociative or catatonic state. His family is pleading for his release, and the U.S. State Department has escalated pressure, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently raising the case with Russian counterparts.
- Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old Marine veteran from Massachusetts, has been imprisoned in Russia since 2022 and is now hospitalized in critical condition, tube-fed and unresponsive.
- His original 4.5-year sentence was extended to a decade; advocates report he suffered physical and psychological abuse during imprisonment that may have contributed to his current state.
- The U.S. State Department has escalated diplomatic pressure, with Secretary Rubio personally raising Gilman's case with Russian counterparts, and his family is urgently seeking his medical evacuation.
- Russian authorities have blocked his mother from visiting him despite a court order, leaving no independent verification of his current condition.
How it unfolded
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Gilman's family warns he is near death and pleads for his release. His mother traveled to Russia to be at his bedside but Russian authorities have not permitted her to see him despite a court order. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has recently raised Gilman's case with his Russian counterpart.
“We are literally on an hour-by-hour basis hoping that Mr. Gilman hangs on and that we can secure for him some kind of lifesaving medical evacuation out of Russia.”
Kieran Ramsey · Mastodon ↗ -
Report Media coverage escalates
PBS NewsHour and other major outlets report on Gilman's deteriorating condition and his family's warnings that he is on the brink of death.
- 7 weeks quiet
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After more than 1,600 days of detention, Gilman was transferred from prison to a psychiatric hospital in a state described as dissociative stupor or catatonic, and is now being fed through a nasal tube.
“About 50 days ago, he was transferred from the prison to the hospital in what's been described as a state of a dissociative stupor…He's being fed through a tube that runs into his nose, down into his stomach.”
Kieran Ramsey · Mastodon ↗ - 106 weeks quiet
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Gilman's original sentence was extended to ten years in prison, increasing his time in custody.
- 128 weeks quiet
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Robert Gilman, a U.S. Marine veteran, was arrested in Russia and charged with allegedly hitting a Russian police officer.
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Report Initial sentencing
Gilman was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison on the charges brought against him.
What people are saying verbatim
“About 50 days ago, he was transferred from the prison to the hospital in what's been described as a state of a dissociative stupor…He's being fed through a tube that runs into his nose, down into his stomach.”
Kieran Ramsey, Gilman's advocate · PBS NewsHour ↗ · Aug 9
“We are literally on an hour-by-hour basis hoping that Mr. Gilman hangs on and that we can secure for him some kind of lifesaving medical evacuation out of Russia.”
Kieran Ramsey, Gilman's advocate · PBS NewsHour ↗ · Aug 9
“That mental pressure, plus the physical abuse he suffered, is likely what contributed to his current medical jeopardy right now.”
Kieran Ramsey, Gilman's advocate · PBS NewsHour ↗ · Aug 9
“The family of a U.S. Marine veteran imprisoned in Russia says his health is rapidly deteriorating and that he may be on the brink of death.”
PBS NewsHour, News outlet · PBS NewsHour ↗ · Aug 9