Coinspeaker
US Lawmakers Demand for Binance Exec’s Detention in Nigeria to Be Declared Hostage Situation
Two US congressmen have called for immediate action regarding the detention of a Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan in Nigeria. Representatives Rich McCormick and French Hill submitted a resolution to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, asking the US government to treat the detention of the executive as a typical hostage situation.
Gambaryan, a US citizen and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, has been detained in Nigeria since February. However, the congressmen have now introduced a resolution, seeking the immediate release of Gambaryan by the Nigerian government. Hill, who claims to have visited Gambaryan in the Nigerian Kuje prison, says his health has been deteriorating.
Resolution Calls for Immediate Release amid Health Concerns
According to the resolution, Gambaryan’s detention is a “clear violation of his rights”. So, it calls for the US government to declare him “wrongfully detained by a foreign government”. McCormick and Hill expressed serious concerns about Gambaryan’s well-being, after noting his deteriorating health. The lawmakers also noted that the time for intervention is now, citing the potential for extended detention due to the Nigerian court’s upcoming recess from mid-July to September. Hill was quoted as saying:
“We are sending a clear signal to the Nigerian government that he must be immediately released, the remaining charges dropped, and he should return home to America where he belongs.”
Gambaryan, who previously served over a decade with the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS), was arrested alongside another Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, upon their arrival in Nigeria. Nigerian authorities charged Binance and the two executives with money laundering and tax violations. While Anjarwalla managed to flee custody in March before he was later re-apprehended, Gambaryan has remained with the Nigerian authorities since his first arrest. Although tax charges against both men and the company were dropped last month, the money laundering accusations still linger.
Part of the resolution details the immense contribution that Gambaryan has had towards US law enforcement. Particularly, the seizure of more than $4 billion in illicit funds during his tenure at the IRS.
Like Hill, McCormick believes that Gambaryan’s detention is nothing but a gross injustice. This resolution follows a June letter signed by 16 members of Congress, urging the White House to quickly get on Gambaryan’s case. The letter stressed the urgency of the situation, and called for immediate action to ensure his safety and secure his release.
It remains to be seen how the Nigerian government reacts to this escalating situation. However, whether Nigeria will budge or not, it has become clear that US lawmakers are growing increasingly concerned. That is, about the treatment of American citizens abroad. Hence their call for decisive governmental action.
US Lawmakers Demand for Binance Exec’s Detention in Nigeria to Be Declared Hostage Situation
