Tigran Gambaryan
Today marks 200 days since Tigran Gambaryan, an American citizen, was detained by the Nigerian authorities. His wife Yuki Gambaryan has released the following statement to mark the milestone:
“Two hundred days ago, my husband, an innocent American citizen, traveled to Nigeria for a meeting he was invited to by the Nigerian government. Since then, he has been unlawfully detained under increasingly inhumane and degrading conditions. He has been repeatedly denied access to his lawyers which is against the Nigerian constitution.
Nigerian authorities continue to falsely claim that he is being treated well and is in good health, but the reality is that his condition is rapidly deteriorating. Now, the prison is withholding medical treatment, probably to avoid confirming his condition. This situation is both disgraceful and urgent—it must end immediately.
I beg President Tinubu to do the right thing and order Tigran’s immediate and unconditional release. And I beg the U.S. Government to recognize officially that Tigran is being unlawfully detained and to take immediate actions against the Nigerian government unless they release him.”
Timelines in Tigran’s ordeal
Tigran was made to hand over his passport to Nigerian authorities on February 26th 2024.
In detention his health has deteriorated so much that he is no longer able to walk from the pain of his untreated herniated disc/spinal injury. The prison is also refusing to provide him with a wheelchair. Tigran has also been told that as a result of being bedridden his muscles have atrophied and he has to take blood thinners to avoid blood clots, the family claimed.
From July 26th to August 14th Tigran’s legal team were denied entry to visit him in prison – with no explanation – which is against the Nigerian constitution and the governing laws of the prison in which he is being held.
When the team was allowed to visit him (after it was made public that they had been denied entry), they were only allowed a 5-minute visit which is insufficient time to prepare for his trial). Since then they have been denied entry again.
The US Embassy also no longer has access to Tigran as he is not allowed to use a wheelchair and he cannot physically walk to the visitor area.
Since being detained, Tigran has also suffered from Malaria and double pneumonia. He now has severe tonsillitis and he has been told he needs surgery to remove his tonsils.
Tigran was invited to Nigeria by the Nigerian government for a meeting and was given assurances that he would be safe. However, during the meeting his passport was taken and he was made to pack his items from the hotel and was taken to a “guest house”.
After he was detained by them, the Nigerian authorities told the American Embassy that Tigran was staying at the guest house willingly.
Tigran was held for almost one month in this guest house before two sets of charges were brought against him and Binance and Tigran was moved to the infamous Kuje prison. According to the Nigerian EFCC prosecutor, Tigran is being charged because, “The 1st defendant (Binance) is operating virtually. The only thing we have to hold on to is this defendant.”
Charges related to tax evasion brought by the Nigerian Federal Inland Revenue Service were dropped against Tigran on June 14th. The FIRS agreed to revise their charges to serve them solely on Binance through a locally-appointed representative.
The trial for the second set of charges brought by the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission started on May 17th. Binance has offered to appoint a local representative for these charges as well. Cross-examination of the witnesses brought forward by the EFCC has begun but the court went on recess until October. An application to hear the case over the recess period was granted and a hearing was held on September 2nd. Tigran’s lawyers made a second application for bail owing to his declining health. The judge set the ruling for this application to October 9th. His lawyers still cannot enter the prison to meet with him.
Tigran has missed several milestones while in detention including his son’s 5th birthday and first day of school and his own 40th birthday which he spent locked up in a Nigerian prison cell. He also missed his wife’s birthday on August 31st as well as their 15th wedding anniversary.
