A total of 18 state attorneys general, including New York Attorney General Leticia James, urged President Joe Biden to declare Binance compliance officer Tigran Gambaryan a hostage of the Nigerian government in a letter on Friday. Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen, is also a former law enforcement officer, having served as a Special Agent with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Gambaryan has been detained in Nigeria since February 2024. The attorneys general “expressed grave concern for the health and well-being” of Gambaryan, who is being held “unlawfully,” under “potentially life-threatening circumstances,” the letter stated.
Designating Gambaryan as a hostage under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act would unlock resources that could expedite the process of his recovery. Gambaryan’s return will be overseen by the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, which assesses and tracks illegal detainment of U.S. nationals.
The attorneys general believe that declaring Gambaryan a hostage would also “apply additional diplomatic pressure to ensure his immediate release.”
The main concern of the attorneys general is the deteriorating health of Gambaryan. According to the letter, Gambaryan’s life is in “immediate danger.” Gambaryan has been denied treatment for malaria and pneumonia during his imprisonment, and his “untreated herniated disc has left him immobile.”
The attorneys general believe that unless there is swift action, Gambaryan’s detention could turn into a “tragedy.”
Arrested without cause
The attorneys general claim that Gambaryan was illegally detained without proper cause so that he could be used as leverage in the Nigerian government’s dispute with Binance. The letter stated:
“This blatant misuse of power is nothing less than extortion, and it must be met with the full weight of the U.S. Government’s influence, particularly given America’s financial and political support of the current political regime in Nigeria.”
Nigerian officials invited Gambaryan earlier this year to address allegations about Binance’s involvement in manipulating the Nigerian currency. However, upon his arrival, Gambaryan was arrested without cause, his passport was confiscated and he was held without formal charges.
The attorneys general accused Nigerian authorities of violating Gambaryan’s basic rights, including no access to medical and nutritional needs. Gambaryan has spent months in Kuje Prison, which is known for housing violent extremists from Boko Haram and ISIS.
The letter comes the same day that the Nigerian government failed to produce Gambaryan at a scheduled court proceeding. According to a press release, the Nigerian government was either unable to unwilling to explain to the judge where Gambaryan was, except for stating that he was in custody.
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