A coalition of United States attorneys general, led by Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes has written a letter on the situation of a detained Binance executive in Nigeria. In the letter addressed to both President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, they want the administration to classify Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan’s detention in Nigeria as a hostage situation.
In the letter, the attorneys general talked about the general welfare of his life, describing his detention as a leverage against Binance. They mentioned that he was being held unlawfully by the Nigerian government and described his situation as “potentially life-threatening.” The letter clarified that it is not a partisan issue but one out of pure humanitarian concern and fundamental patriotic duty.
The legal officials described Gambaryan as a hero and a law enforcement officer with an impeccable record while he was with the Inland Revenue Service. They added that during his time with the exchange, it complied with regulations while improving its operations in line with the legal standards of the United States.
The letter was co-signed by the attorneys general of several states in the United States, including Connecticut, Virginia, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Kansas, New York, Oregon, Vermont, South Carolina, Maine, and Louisiana.
United States legal officials decry risk to Gambaryan’s life
The attorneys general described the Binance executive’s case as unjust, claiming that the Nigerian government is detaining him for financial reasons. They noted that it is an extortion in plain sight and the United States must kick against it as failure to do so will set a bad precedent.
The legal officials’ letter is coming after Gambaryan failed to show up in court on October 18. Although he has been in detention since February 2024, going through the court process, his recent absence triggered a lot of alarms. Sources in the Nigerian correctional facility noted that his absence was due to his health condition.
The news supports an earlier claim by representatives of the executive that his health has deteriorated drastically since he has been in detention. The letter stressed this treatment, noting that it was the same treatment meted out to student Otto Wambier by North Korea, which led to his death.
However, it remains unknown what the reaction of the white house will be to the letter. The administration has yet to publicly talk about the issue, with many believing that there could be silent negotiations behind the scenes. Also, branding him a hostage could hasten the situation, putting diplomatic pressure on the Nigerian government to release him.
Gambaryan billed to appear in court on October 25
Meanwhile, the attorneys general’s letter is only one of a few calls that have been made on the issue. Some United States legislators have also called for his release while a coalition of federal agents have also chipped in something towards that effect.
However, there is no indication that the Nigerian government is willing to move from its position. Officials have claimed that his detention followed due and lawful process and the court will determine his innocence. Still, efforts to get him out of detention on temporary bail have also failed with the court rejecting two bail applications.
Gambaryan is now scheduled to appear in court on October 25. However, the likelihood of that is not yet confirmed given that no further news was shared about his health condition. There are also no indications that the Nigerian government has accepted an independent and external check-up of his health.