U.S. Ex-Marine's Sentence Extended Amidst Russian Legal Turmoil

Robert Gilman, a U.S. ex-Marine, has had his sentence extended by one year by a Russian court. Initially sentenced for assault on law enforcement, he alleged maltreatment during his trial. His case draws attention alongside recent prisoner swaps involving U.S. citizens imprisoned in Russia.

A Russian court on Thursday extended Robert Gilman's prison sentence by an additional year. The ex-Marine, held in Voronezh, is now set to serve eight years and one month for offenses against law enforcement and prison officials, as reported by state news agency RIA.

The court did not disclose the reasoning behind the added penalty. Attempts to reach Gilman or his legal representatives for comments were unsuccessful. He was originally sentenced to over seven years after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a 2022 altercation with police while intoxicated.

Throughout his second trial, Gilman claimed his actions were in response to provocation by prison personnel and an insulting investigator. His case comes after a recent prisoner swap that saw the release of a dual citizen accused of treason, highlighting the complex relations between detained Americans and Russian authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)