Trevor Reed Mistreatment Piles Pressure on Biden over Russia's US Prisoners

As reports of poor treatment and sickness continue to emerge about Trevor Reed, an American jailed in Russia for over two years, pressure is being put on U.S. officials to get Reed and other prisoners home.

Reed, 30, a former U.S. Marine, was arrested in Moscow in August 2019 after being charged with allegedly assaulting two Russian police officers. Reed denied all charges, and his father Joey Reed previously told Newsweek that the judge "refused to hear any of the evidence, and they had already decided what they're going to do."

Despite this, Reed was sentenced to nine years in prison in July 2020.

As the fight to get Reed released from custody continues, new reports have emerged from U.S. officials in Russia regarding poor detainment conditions and a number of ailments that Reed has suffered. This includes reports that Reed may have recently contracted tuberculosis while behind bars.

"In December #TrevorReed had prolonged exposure to another prisoner with active tuberculosis," a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Russia tweeted on Wednesday. "Trevor now reports he is coughing up blood and has not received medical care for it."

The spokesperson called on Russian officials to "give Trevor proper medical treatment; better yet, release him."

Joey Reed also backed up reports of his son's poor treatment and illness during his previous conversation with Newsweek.

"Our son is in a Stalin-era Gulag in the middle of the forest somewhere and living literally in something you would see out of a movie," Reed said. "He's generally in solitary confinement."

Additionally, Jonathan Franks, a spokesperson for the family, released a statement saying that Reed "was subjected to a lengthy, close-contact exposure to a prisoner who had active [tuberculosis] in December...despite beginning post-exposure prophylaxis for other inmates, Russian authorities have refused to do the same for Trevor and have thus far refused to test him."

"Any suggestion by Russian authorities that they have provided Trevor meaningful medical care is patently false," Franks added.

These reports highlight the harsh conditions that are allegedly faced by American detainees in Russia. In particular, similar comparisons were drawn from Reed's case to Paul Whelan, another former Marine currently jailed in Russia.

Whelan's family spoke to Newsweek this past January, stating, "We're grateful that, at a time when the White House is trying to deter an illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, that [U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken] still took the opportunity to raise Paul's case and that of Trevor Reed."

"It is this sort of continued engagement with the Russian government that seems integral to finding a resolution and securing Paul's freedom," the family added.

Renewed efforts and calls for both Reed's and Whelan's release from custody were seen across social media after the tuberculosis report was tweeted Wednesday.

"Trevor Reed is in a gulag for no other reason than the fact he is a United States Marine," Franks tweeted.

"I remain extremely concerned about the health and safety of my constituent, Texan Marine Veteran Trevor Reed," tweeted Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas). "He has been wrongfully detained in Russia for over 900 days. Most recently exposed to another prisoner with active tuberculosis."

"This shameful treatment of innocent American, #TrevorReed, by the Putin regime is unacceptable," added Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas). "The false charges against Trevor Reed and Paul Whelan must be dropped so they can return home to the U.S. and to his family. Now."

As the reports emerged, U.S. officials expressed assurance that negotiations in an effort to release Reed and Whelan were continuing.

"We would like to get Paul and Trevor home as soon as possible," U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday. "And we are actively engaged in an effort to do that."

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told Newsweek, "Secretary Blinken has raised the cases of Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed in his discussions with Foreign Minister Lavrov. We continue to press the Russian authorities to release Paul and Trevor."

"We are concerned about reports that Trevor had prolonged exposure to another prisoner with active tuberculosis and find the lack of medical attention and care troubling," the spokesperson added. "We urge the Government of Russia to provide Trevor proper medical treatment."

Newsweek has also reached out to the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment.