The Nigerian government has denied allegations of poor detention conditions for Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan.
In a statement released by Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, the government refuted claims of inadequate healthcare and emphasized its commitment to a fair trial and judicial integrity.
The statement from Minister Idris comes in response to concerns raised by US Members of Congress, Representative French Hill and Representative Chrissy Houlahan.
The congress members visited Gambaryan at the Kuje Detention facility on 19 June 2024, and subsequently released a video calling for his release.
After their visit, Representative Hill described Gambaryan’s prison conditions as “horrible” and drew attention to Gambaryan’s health concerns while in custody.
He said that despite suffering from malaria, double pneumonia, and significant weight loss, Gambaryan is being denied adequate medical care. Hill called for Gambaryan’s immediate humanitarian release.
Gambaryan Cleared of Tax Evasion Charges
Gambaryan, a US citizen and head of Binance’s financial crime compliance department, was arrested alongside Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, earlier this year.
However, Anjarwalla managed to escape custody on 22 March 2024.
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Notably, a court ruling on 14 June 2024 cleared both Gambaryan and Anjarwalla of tax evasion charges.
The initial charges were filed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in March 2024, alleging that the duo failed to pay taxes on crypto transactions worth billions of naira.
Binance was accused of not paying value-added tax, company tax, and failing to file tax returns. The recent court ruling, however, absolved them of these charges.
Nigeria Says Gambaryan Has Access To Healthcare Services
Minister Idris stressed that Gambaryan’s detention is based on a court order and that only the court has the authority to alter the terms of his confinement or order his release.
He said that despite being in lawful custody, Gambaryan has access to necessary healthcare services, countering allegations of deteriorating health and poor prison conditions:
“It has become necessary for the Federal Government of Nigeria to address claims that Binance Executive Tigran Gambaryan is being held in unsavory prison conditions in Nigeria or that his health is deteriorating,” he said on X.
“We would like to state that these allegations are false and should be ignored.”
According to the minister, Gambaryan is receiving full consular support from his home government. He reiterated the government’s commitment to safeguarding his fundamental rights, including access to quality healthcare and a fair trial as he faces legal proceedings in Nigeria.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria will continue to follow due process in its quest to bring Binance to justice — a legitimate sovereign quest that is similarly being pursued in several other countries worldwide,” Idris said.
Yesterday, @RepHoulahan and I visited with US citizen Tigran Gambaryan in Kuje Prison in Nigeria. We found him suffering from the conditions there, as he has malaria and double pneumonia, and he reports that he has lost significant weight. Even worse, he's being denied access to… pic.twitter.com/OKEHMXxuF4
— French Hill (@RepFrenchHill) June 20, 2024
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