Support The Moscow Times!

U.S. Ex-Marine Reed Goes on Hunger Strike in Russian Prison – Reports

Trevor Reed. Vyacheslav Prokofyev / TASS

Former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed has gone on hunger strike in a remote Russian prison, ABC News reported Tuesday, citing his family.

A Russian court last year sentenced Reed, 30, to nine years behind bars on charges of assaulting a Moscow police officer while drunk in 2019. The U.S. government and Reed deny the charges and have questioned the trial’s fairness.

Reed began his hunger strike last Thursday, ABC News cited his Russian girlfriend as saying. 

Reed’s family confirmed the news, saying he was protesting “his arbitrary detention and Russian authorities' numerous and flagrant violations of his basic human rights and his rights under Russian law.” 

Reed has reportedly been in solitary confinement for almost three months and unable to contact his family for nearly four months.

While we are immensely proud of our son's strength of character, we are also extremely worried about his health,” Reed’s parents and sister said.

Our concern is magnified by Russian authorities' decision to hold Trevor incommunicado which makes it impossible for us or the Embassy to monitor his health,” they added.

Reed’s family urged the Biden administration to “find the political will to bring our son home” and exchange him for one of the high-profile Russian nationals held in U.S. jails.

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on Reed’s hunger strike, saying only that it was aware of the reports, ABC News reported. 

U.S. Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan will attempt to visit Reed in the remote republic of Mordovia for the second time in November, the State Department added.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more