Today marks six months since Tigran Gambaryan, a former U.S. federal agent, was unjustly detained in Nigeria, says Richard Teng, CEO of Binance. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to highlight Gambaryan’s worsening condition. Teng’s post reveals that Gambaryan has been denied proper medical treatment and legal representation. It is leading to a severe deterioration in his health. Gambaryan, who suffers from a herniated disc, is in constant pain and unable to walk. Yet, he has not been provided with essential medical care or a wheelchair.
Nigerian Authorities Ignore Court Order for Gambaryan’s Medical Records
The Nigerian authorities have not provided Gambaryan’s medical records even after a court compelled them to do so. Furthermore, Gambaryan has been held in deprivation of his right to consult with his lawyer and his trial is allegedly unconstitutional in Nigeria is scheduled to commence on 2nd September this year. Recently, he was also deprived of the right to receive a representative from his U.S. consulate, which added to his problems.
Teng has elaborated on the potential adverse effects of this unfair imprisonment on both Gambaryan’s physical and psychological well-being. He is appealing to the Nigerian government to permit Gambaryan to travel back to US for medical attention and be with his family. Teng points out that this means that the detainee is being held unlawfully and that there are well-founded humanitarian grounds for his release.
Binance CEO Calls on Global Community to Advocate for Gambaryan’s Freedom
Additional reasons suggested by the Nigerian government for detaining Gambaryan include the issues connected with Binance activity, leaving the accusation that the company’s Internet affiliation originated from his arrest.
The prosecution has also stated that Gambaryan should not be released on bail because he poses flight risk. Binance has refuted this line of thinking by arguing that the revenue generated from Nigeria has been overstated. Some information is claiming that Binance is directly affecting the Naira’s value, but actually, it is as a result of the government’s decision to end the currency peg in June 2023.
Lastly, Teng asks the American government to put pressure on the authorities to free Gambaryan. He also urged the global community to force Nigeria to solve this issue, underlining that the return of Gambaryan will open more opportunities for good relations and further Nigeria’s Web3 industry as well as the foreign investment opportunities.
