Robert Gilman, a U.S. citizen and former Marine, has been free of years of detention in Russia on humanitarian grounds, a State Division spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.
“Because of the laborious work of President Trump and Particular Envoy Witkoff, Mr. Gilman joins over 100 People whom the USA has freed throughout President Trump’s second time period in workplace. This Administration will proceed to work for the discharge of all People unjustly detained in Russia, together with wrongful detainee Stephen Hubbard,” the spokesperson mentioned.
Former Marine Robert Gilman, who serves a jail sentence for assaulting a Russian police officer in 2022, attends a court docket listening to in Voronezh, Russia, April 6, 2026.
Vladimir Lavrov/Reuters, FILE
Gilman’s launch got here amid extreme issues about his well being. Based on the group advocating on behalf of his household, Gilman is on his strategy to a U.S. army hospital in Texas, the place he shall be medically and psychologically assessed and handled. His household has flown to Texas, together with his mom, who was in Russia making an attempt to see him on the hospital.
Gilman, now 32 years outdated, had been detained since 2022. Later that 12 months, he was sentenced to 4 and a half years in a jail colony after being accused of combating with a Russian police officer at a prepare station.
Gilman’s household deny the costs and have accused the Russian authorities of wrongfully detaining him for political functions as a result of he’s American.
Based on the “Free Robert Gilman” web site, Gilman served within the U.S. Marine Corps and likewise based “Robert Gilman Simply English” to assist college students in Poland construct their English expertise. Gilman was in Moldova to show and was visiting household exterior of Moscow when he fell ailing and was then accused of kicking a police officer.
Gilman, who was not too long ago designated as a wrongful detainee, was not a part of a prisoner alternate, and no different concessions had been offered as a part of his launch, in keeping with the State Division spokesperson.
President Donald Trump mentioned he had discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Gilman’s launch, including that “Russia requested for nobody in return — No alternate happened.”
“Robert will land at Andrews Air Drive Base, in Washington, D.C., tonight, the place my Representatives, a few of whom are on the aircraft with him, will welcome Robert again to THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! I simply spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands,” Trump wrote in a put up on his social media account Tuesday.
Lexie Hudson, Gilman’s sister, commented on his launch in a press launch despatched by World Attain, a nonprofit group devoted to bringing dwelling People who’re wrongly held overseas.
Hudson thanked each Trump and Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey.
“The Russians handled my brother so badly,” Hudson mentioned. “They damage him for no motive, aside from that he was each an American and a Marine. What did they get out of this? Why did they do that to such a beautiful particular person?”
“I’m trying ahead to seeing Robert. I have not been capable of communicate with him as soon as since this all started. We’ll guarantee that he will get the therapy and help that he wants.”
Sen. Markey celebrated Gilman’s launch in a put up on X whereas additionally describing Gilman’s debilitating situation.
“Roughly 50 days in the past, Robert was identified with a dissociative stupor — a situation the place he’s non-responsive and unable to work together or eat. He was primarily catatonic and likewise suffered a extreme case of pneumonia. We do not but know the total particulars of his present situation or the long-term impression on his restoration. I am grateful that Robert is now on his method again to the USA to obtain the life-saving care that he desperately wants,” Markey wrote.
Gilman’s relations and representatives have mentioned that along with the false prices levied towards him, Gilman was subjected to torture and harsh bodily and psychological abuse by Russian jail guards.
Moscow has up to now not commented on Gilman’s launch.
