- Members of the United States Congress have submitted a resolution urging the Nigerian government to immediately release Tigran Gambaryan, a detained Binance executive, from imprisonment.
- The resolution urges the United States Government to formally declare Gambaryan as a “U.S. citizen wrongfully detained by a foreign government” and to utilise all resources available to secure Gambaryan’s release.
- Also, the resolution highlighted that the court typically takes a recess from mid-July to September. If Gambaryan’s case is not resolved by mid-July, he may remain in detention for an even longer “undue” period.
Gambaryan has been in custody since February 2024. He was first held in a guest house in Abuja alongside Nadeem Anjarwalla, who fled, leaving Gambaryan behind. However, Gambaryan was sent to Kuje Correctional Centre after pleading not guilty to money laundering charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
While at Kuje, it was previously reported that Gambaryan’s physical health was deteriorating and, according to a Binance spokesperson, his diagnosis included malaria and pneumonia.
The resolution “urges the Government of Nigeria to provide unrestricted medical access to Tigran Gambaryan and ensure he is swiftly provided all medical care, including prescriptions and antimalarials, as needed.”
It also “urges the Government of Nigeria to provide full, unfettered, and consistent consular access, in accordance with its international obligations, to Gambaryan while he remains in detention.”
The resolution also called for the Government of Nigeria to provide constitutionally afforded due process rights and universally recognised human rights.
Recall following his detention, Gambaryan sued the EFCC and the National Security Adviser (NSA) for human rights violations. However, he recently amended the suit to seek compensation. Anjarwalla filed the same but his case was struck out.
Before this resolution by the US Congress members seeking the immediate release of Gambaryan, Binance and its CEO Richard Teng, had written, seeking the same, stating that Gambaryan is not a decision-maker in the company and is not part of the exchange’s management, hence should not be detained.
Additionally, Gambaryan applied for bail, which was opposed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and accused of posing a “flight risk.” Eventually, he was denied bail.
While Gambaryan remains detained, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria’s tax authority, has dropped its charges against Gambaryan and his colleague named in the tax evasion charges filed against the exchange, after Binance provided a representative. However, Binance hopes the EFCC will take the same step as the tax authority.
