Legislators from the United States, namely French Hill and Chrissy Houlahan, have issued an appeal for the liberation of Tigran Gambaryan, a senior Binance official currently held in Nigeria on charges related to tax evasion and financial offenses. Their plea follows their visit to Gambaryan at Kuje prison, where they expressed deep concern over his declining health and the severe conditions of his confinement. Gambaryan, grappling with malaria and double pneumonia, reportedly endured significant weight loss and has been denied adequate medical care.
The lawmakers emphasized the urgency of their appeal, characterizing the prison conditions as extremely dire. They echoed the sentiments of Gambaryan’s spouse, Yuki Gambaryan, who has been actively campaigning for his release and urging heightened efforts from the U.S. government to secure his freedom. She highlighted the fact that American taxpayers annually contribute to Nigeria, adding weight to their request.
Hill provided an account of the visit on his official platform, stressing the critical nature of the situation. He underscored that while Nigeria dropped the tax evasion charges against Gambaryan on June 14, he firmly believes Gambaryan is still unlawfully detained on allegations of money laundering. Hill asserted that Gambaryan should be granted immediate humanitarian release, all remaining charges dropped, and allowed to return to the United States.
Similarly, Representative Houlahan, in a video statement, disclosed their request to the U.S. embassy to advocate for Gambaryan’s release on humanitarian grounds due to his deteriorating health and the harsh prison conditions. She noted that they observed challenging conditions during their visit, with Gambaryan visibly under stress and in poor health. Houlahan expressed hope that they could mobilize U.S. resources to ensure his safe return home.
Earlier, a group of U.S. congressmen, including Hill, had written to President Joe Biden on June 4, 2024, urging him to exert diplomatic pressure on Nigeria for the release of Tigran Gambaryan.
