- Binance CEO Richard Teng has called for Nigeria to release Tigran Gambarian
- The US-based employee, who has been in detention since February
- His health has deteriorated due to malaria and subsequent complications
- Authorities at Kuje prison have denied Gambarian medical care and access to his lawyers
Binance CEO Richard Teng called on Nigerian authorities to release Tigran Gambarian, a U.S. employee of the company who has been in detention since February.
He insists that Gambarian needs urgent medical care, which he is being denied, as well as access to a lawyer.
The case has also sparked a lot of outrage in the crypto community and has taken a lot of attention from former federal prosecutors and members of the U.S. Congress.
Tigran Ghambaryan’s Critical Condition
Tigran Gambarian, the head of financial crime compliance at Binance, is not the first who faced persecution from the Nigerian government.
Another Binance executive, British-Kenyan national Nadeem Anjarwalla, was held under house arrest without proper explanation.
Regarding Tigran Gambarian’s case, Nigerian authorities detained him in Abuja in February after he arrived at their invitation.
Binance CEO Richard Teng is involved in this situation a lot and gives comments, while the US government has not provided any statements.
“Tigran has been unjustly held for close to half a year now”
They first placed him under house arrest and then transferred him to Kuje Prison on charges of money laundering and tax evasion.
The Nigerian government asked $10 billion from Binance to secure his release, also later declined the charges for tax evasion.
But later they transferred him to Kuje Prison keeping him there causing serious health issues.
“He needs medical treatment before his conditions become permanent.”
He contracted malaria, which led to double pneumonia, and a tonsil infection and now his condition has become critical, but he is not receiving medical treatment or even a lawyer.
“Our priority is really to get him home safely to his family and to his friends.”
Conclusion
This case is a clear example of a violation of the UN convention and international law, and also obviously tests the patience of the US, which usually reacts very keenly to such offenses.
All this shows the need for more effective cooperation between international legal institutions, and communication between governments so that statements are made not by company representatives, but by government ones.
We hope that the situation will be resolved as soon as possible and Tigran Gambaryan will at least receive his legal right to medical assistance and a lawyer.
