WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Former Marine Trevor Reed of the United States has started a hunger strike at a Russian prison to protest his being placed in solitary confinement without proper medical treatment despite concerns that he may have tuberculosis. His parents announced Wednesday.

A 30-year old Texan has been sentenced to nine years in prison for putting at risk the lives of two fellow officers during a drunken visit to Moscow. His charges were dismissed and the United States called it a “theater for the absurd.”

Reed’s parents claimed that Reed was in Mordovia Prison when he came in contact with an active tuberculosis prisoner in December. However, Reed said that despite his rapid decline in health, he had never been tested.

According to Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, the parents, Joey Reed and Paula Reed, had a meeting with Biden in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

Psaki wrote that the President reaffirmed his resolve to keep working to release Trevor Whelan, Paul Whelan, as well other Americans being held in Russia, and offer all assistance to ensure their release.

A spokesperson for the State Department stated that Reed was being held in Russia by the U.S. Embassy.

“We are alarmed by reports Trevor Reed started a hunger strike protesting his circumstances.” “We call upon Russian officials to immediately provide sufficient medical care,” the spokesperson stated by email.

Reed spent 10 days in prison, and was released last week. His parents stated that Reed had not received any “meaningful medical treatment beyond an incorrectly taken X-ray.”

The parents released a statement saying that Trevor’s Mordovian lawyer saw him on Tuesday and confirmed that Trevor had started a hunger strike to protest his being sent back into solitary after being injured.  

Trevor asked the authorities of the IK-12 Gulag for permission to go back to his hospital room. They said that instead of returning him to the hospital, they had placed him in solitary confinement.

Russia’s prison authorities didn’t immediately reply to my request for comment.

Reed began a hunger strike in protest of his imprisonment and rights violations late last year. He ended it almost one week later after he had lost weight. Russia’s prison officials denied Reed had refused food and that his rights were being threatened.