VORONEZH, Russia, Aug. 7 (World Daily Times) — Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old former U.S. Marine detained in Russia since 2022, is receiving treatment in a Voronezh hospital after advocates said he entered a catatonic-like condition. The U.S. government is urging Moscow to release him so he can receive medical care in the United States.
Gilman’s sister, Lexie Hudson, said she fears she may never see him again and that he could die in Russian custody. The claims about his health and treatment come from family representatives and advocacy groups. The supplied reports do not include medical records, a statement from a treating doctor or an official Russian account of his condition.
Where is Gilman being held?
Gilman was being held in a prison in Voronezh, a city about 340 miles, or 547 kilometers, south of Moscow, Reuters reported. In late June, he was reportedly moved from a prison hospital to the psychiatric ward of a civilian emergency hospital in the city.
Reports differ on the timing of the transfer. Reuters and advocacy representatives described it as occurring in late June, while a separate report placed the transfer on July 9. The specific prison and hospital have not been identified in the supplied material.
What is known about his medical condition?
Eric Lebson, chief strategy officer at the advocacy group Global Reach, said Gilman entered a catatonic-like state in June. Lebson said doctors assessed the condition as a “dissociative stupor.”
Lebson said Gilman has been unable to communicate, has kept his eyes closed and has needed food and fluids through a tube. Fox News reported that he had been tube-fed for 46 days as of Aug. 6, 2026.
Elizabeth Richards, director of hostage advocacy and research at the Foley Foundation, said, “It doesn’t seem like he’s getting the care he needs, and we are very concerned for his life and safety.”
Those accounts have not been independently confirmed by an identified medical authority. The reports also do not establish Gilman’s prognosis.
Why was he in prison?
Reuters reported that Gilman was convicted of attacking a police officer. The supplied material does not identify the Russian court, the date of the conviction, the sentence, the charge as written in a court document or the case number.
A 2024 sentence extension was also reported after additional convictions for allegedly assaulting prison officials and a state investigator. That account was based on secondary reporting about a Russian newspaper report. No underlying court records were supplied.
As a result, the available information does not allow the criminal case to be described in the detail normally provided for a criminal proceeding. It does not identify which authority brought each charge, what evidence was presented or whether Gilman challenged the convictions.
Lebson said Gilman’s condition has kept him from attending court hearings. The supplied reports do not identify the hearings, the court or a judge.
What are the allegations of mistreatment?
Gilman’s sister and hostage-advocacy representatives have alleged that he may have been tortured and given mind-altering or psychotropic drugs in custody. Those claims remain allegations. No Russian official response, independent medical finding or evidentiary record supporting them was included in the supplied material.
Some reports also described disputes over access by family members, lawyers and U.S. consular officials. The details and timing differ among the accounts, and the supplied material does not include the alleged court order or official records resolving those disputes.
What has the U.S. government said?
The State Department said, “We are deeply concerned about Robert Gilman’s health and continued detention.” Reuters also reported that the White House and State Department urged Moscow to release Gilman so he could receive urgent treatment in the United States.
The supplied material does not include a direct White House statement or establish whether Russia has formally accepted or rejected the request. It also does not provide an official Russian statement about Gilman’s detention, medical care or the allegations of mistreatment.
For now, the central facts are that Gilman remains detained in Russia, his advocates say he is severely ill and unable to communicate, and the United States is seeking his release. The available accounts leave important questions about the criminal case, his medical condition and the treatment he has received unanswered.
