VORONEZH, August 11. /TASS/. The attorney of US citizen Robert Gilman, who was convicted in Russia for violence against a government official, doesn’t rule out his pardoning.

"I have learnt about his potential pardoning from journalists. It is most likely true, but I haven’t seen any documents yet," Irina Brazhnikova told TASS.

Reuters reported earlier that Gilman has been released for health reasons and is on his way back to the United States.

Gilman was detained on January 19, 2022, at the Voronezh train station for drunken disorderly conduct on the Sukhumi-Moscow train. During his arrest, he kicked a police officer. The court initially sentenced him to 4.5 years in a standard security penal colony. In May 2023, his sentence was shortened by one year.

A new criminal case was opened after Gilman refused to comply with prison routines and physically assaulted a prison officer. In the penal colony, he repeatedly struck investigators and assaulted an inspector in the pretrial detention center, where he was transferred during the investigation.

In October 2024, Gilman was sentenced to 7 years and 1 month in a maximum-security penal colony, along with a fine of 300,000 rubles (over $3,600). His sentence was increased by another year in April 2025. Later that year, the Voronezh Central District Court issued additional sentences against him on charges of using force against Federal Penitentiary Service officers. On May 5, Gilman attacked a penitentiary officer during a transfer from pretrial detention to a penal colony. Despite his attempt to assault the officer, he was transferred to Penal Colony No. 8 in Rossosh the following day. His frustration led him to attack another officer, resulting in an additional two years being added to his sentence.

In July 2026, Gilman's trial in Voronezh was paused due to his hospitalization for treatment. According to the Voronezh Central District Court, the man cannot attend court hearing due to a mental disorder or another serious disease.