Former US Marine Trevor Reed is on a hunger strike to protest imprisonment in Russia, family says

American citizen Trevor Reed has been on a nearly weeklong hunger strike to protest his detainment in Russia and the "numerous and flagrant violations" of his human rights by Russian authorities, according to his family.

"We have received a report from an attorney that Trevor has begun a hunger strike to protest his arbitrary detention and Russian authorities' numerous and flagrant violations of his basic human rights and his rights under Russian law," Reed's parents, Joey and Paula, and sister Taylor said in a statement Monday.

"While we are immensely proud of our son's strength of character, we are also extremely worried about his health," they said.