Moscow — A former U.S. Marine Corps sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia has launched a hunger strike to protest his imprisonment and infringement of his rights, his family said, Russia’s The statement made by prison officials was not true.
Texas college student Trevor Reed was convicted last year for endangering the lives of two Moscow police officers who were drunk during their 2019 visit. He denied the accusation, and Washington called his trial “Theatre.”
“We received a report from a lawyer that Trevor had launched a hunger strike to protest arbitrary detention and a number of serious violations of his basic human rights and rights under Russian law by Russian authorities,” his family said. Said in a later statement. Monday.
Mordovian local prison authorities, where Reed is detained, have denied that his rights have been abused or that he has been on a hunger strike. “He eats according to his daily schedule,” they said in a statement to Reuters.
The Kremlin declined to comment.
The family said Reed was trapped in a small room with a hole in the toilet floor and was not allowed to talk to his parents on the phone for 116 days, nor was he allowed to receive books or books. .. letter.
The US Embassy said in a tweet: “I know of reports that # TrevorReed is on a hunger strike. We are still very concerned about his treatment and are closely watching. We do the right thing to the Russian government and he To return to his family. “
Reed and Paul Whelan were imprisoned in Russia on charges of espionage he denied, but were touted as candidates for a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington.
Welan’s lawyer told Reuters Monday that he had been stuck in a deal about his client.
Reed’s family said in a statement that they met with officials in Washington last month and urged Russians in US prisons to sign an agreement with Russia to be released.
Russian media candidates trade pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, who has been serving for 20 years for a conspiracy to smuggle cocaine, and Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, who has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Advertised as.
“Both Russian men, whose Russian media has emerged as potential targets for’trade’, have served more than half of their long rulings and are now older, who are’traded’ but do not threaten Americans. “Reed’s family said.
Tom Balmforce
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