US attorneys have urged President Joe Biden to release Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, who has been detained in Nigeria since February 2024.
A coalition of 18 state attorneys has requested President Joe Biden general to assist in releasing Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, who has been in custody in Nigeria since February 2024.
Under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, the attorneys general have requested that Biden designate Gambaryan as a hostage.
In a joint letter sent on October 18, the group expressed concern regarding Gambaryan’s deteriorating health and the unlawful nature of his detention.
In the letter, Attorney General John Formella stated:
“His continued detention without cause is not only a violation of his rights but also poses a severe risk to his health and well-being… It is our duty to advocate for U.S. citizens abroad, and we urge the federal government to apply the necessary diplomatic pressure to secure his release.”
Gambaryan’s health concerns were further exacerbated by a judge’s decision to postpone his hearing on October 18 due to his inability to attend court. The hearing was rescheduled for October 25.
Was Gambaryan apprehended to extract a ransom from Binance?
In May 2023, Gambaryan was apprehended in Nigeria to address allegations that Binance was manipulating the local currency, which had begun to plummet. He was reportedly associated with alleged financial crimes involving $34 million associated with Binance’s operations in the country.
Nevertheless, several US lawmakers have claimed that Gambaryan was wrongfully detained.
Representative Rich McCormick introduced a resolution to Congress in July that urged the classification of Gambaryan’s detention as a “hostage” situation. McCormick alleged that the Nigerian government was detaining Gambaryan without justification to extort the cryptocurrency exchange for money at the time.
This is a related topic: US diplomats are pressuring Nigeria to release the detained executive of Binance.
According to Binance’s CEO, Gambaryan’s treatment is “inhuman”
On September 2, a new video was released that was disturbing, as it demonstrated the treatment of Gambaryan by Nigerian authorities.
Binance CEO Richard Teng demanded Gambaryan’s immediate release in response to the alarming video. On September 3, Teng shared the video in a post on X:
“This inhumane treatment of Tigran must end. He must be allowed to go home for medical treatment and to be with his family.”
Gambaryan is depicted in the video as experiencing difficulty walking. He inquires with the guard on numerous occasions about why wheelchairs are prohibited. Nevertheless, the guard disregards his requests and insists that he continue to walk with only a single crutch.
Cointelegraph contacted Gambaryan’s family representative for a commentary.
Dr. Abraham Ehizojie, a medical doctor at the Kuje prison facility, was issued an arrest warrant in July for failing to appear in court or submit a mandatory medical report for Gambaryan.
