Binance CEO calls for US intervention after 6 months of unjust detention of Gambaryan in Nigeria
Popular cryptocurrency exchange Binance has called on the intervention of the U.S. government as well as people and organizations around the world to use political pressure to secure Tigran Gambaryan's release on humanitarian grounds and to voice opposition to Nigeria's unfair detention policies.
Today marks 6 months since Tigran was unjustly detained. He is denied proper medical treatment & legal counsel.
— Richard Teng (@_RichardTeng) August 27, 2024
We appeal to the Nigerian government on humanitarian grounds to allow Tigran to return home for urgent medical care & reunite with his family.https://t.co/AKTij48o4U
According to a statement on Tuesday by Binance CEO Richard Teng, former US federal agent and Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan has been in detention in Nigeria for six months under deteriorating conditions.
Teng said that the unjust detention of Gambaryan has now lasted six months. Tigran's circumstances have gotten worse quickly, and his physical and mental health are at an all-time low. Because of a herniated disc, he is unable to walk and is in excruciating pain. The Nigerian government has refused him access to basic medical care, including a wheelchair, despite his condition.
In addition, the authorities are not allowing him to see his attorney, even though his trial is scheduled to begin on September 2. We have been informed that this is against Nigerian constitutional law. After several months, the government has still not complied with a court's demand that they release Tigran's medical records. Tigran's US consulate representative was not allowed to see him this week. There's no explanation for these acts, Teng added.
Teng in the post said he is deeply concerned about the long-term, potentially irreversible mental and physical impact this horrific event is having on him. He appealed to the Nigerian government to grant Tigran permission to return home to his family on humanitarian grounds, as this will enable him to receive the necessary medical attention in the United States, recuperate, and get back to the active and healthy life he once had.
The Nigerian government has claimed that Tigran's detention is warranted because "Binance is operating virtually." This defendant is the only thing we need to hang onto. The prosecution's attorney made this claim during the bail application hearing, arguing that Tigran shouldn't be granted bail because he poses a risk of fleeing.
Teng disagreed with the above statement and said that an innocent employee does not need to be put in jail to answer for any accusations made against Binance. We have worked with governments to find reasonable, cooperative, and friendly solutions to problems in many countries, including the US, Thailand, and most recently, Brazil and India. None of these actions involved threatening or hurting our staff members.
The Nigerian government also asserted, without evidence, that Binance was to blame for the depreciation of its currency. Teng also said this statement is far from the truth, as the Nigerian currency (Naira) fluctuated in a comparatively small range against the US dollar, between 1:380 and 1:440, between the end of 2022 and 2021. During that time, the exchange provided P2P services as an added value option for its users who wanted to learn about cryptocurrencies.
Teng ended his statement by calling on people all over the world to voice their concerns and add their voices to those of the Nigerian government, persuading them that such unilateral action without a strong basis will be harmful to the nation's long-term economic development and well-being. He appealed to all Nigerian decision-makers, pleading with them to allow Tigran to return safely to his wife and their two young children.
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