A Lowell Marine veteran is back on American soil Wednesday morning after he spent 1,666 days detained in a Russian prison.
Robert Gilman was being held in Russia after authorities there accused him of assaulting a police officer while intoxicated. He was convicted and sentenced, but his family and several U.S. lawmakers have maintained that he was wrongfully detained.
Gilman’s health had been rapidly deteriorating while he was in prison, prompting bipartisan calls for his release on humanitarian grounds.
Pictures showed Gilman on a plane heading back to the United States. Gilman landed at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C., Tuesday night.
President Donald Trump also posted a picture of Gilman wrapped in an American flag as he left Russia.
Gilman had been held since 2022. His family said the conditions and treatment he experienced in prison caused his health to deteriorate, leading lawmakers and human rights advocates to call for his release.
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey said Democrats and Republicans worked together to secure Gilman’s freedom.
“Human rights should be bipartisan. Democrats and Republicans should be able to work together to say when an American is unjustly held that we will stand together in order to ensure that that American is released,” Markey said Tuesday.
Gilman’s sister also released a statement following his return, saying, “It shouldn’t take an innocent American citizen being on the brink of death for our government to make their freedom a priority.”
No Russian prisoners were exchanged in return for Gilman’s release.
Gilman will reunite with his family at a military hospital in Texas, where he will receive medical treatment.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW