Tigran Gambaryan, a top executive at Binance who is being held in Nigeria, has been having a lot of legal problems. On September 2, 2024, his lawyers made a new motion for bail, which was a very bad sign. The move draws attention to Gambaryan’s rapidly worsening health, which allegedly calls for immediate surgery.
The Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) quickly fought the bail request, saying that Gambaryan’s health problems were exaggerated. However, health records presented to the court show otherwise, showing that the executive’s situation is worse than first thought. One important thing that these records are missing is important medical information like MRI scans, which jail officials have refused to provide despite many requests.
Family members are getting more and more worried about how open things are and how well Gambaryan is getting medical care. His wife, Yuki, was angry at the Nigerian government and said they were hiding important medical records and playing down her husband’s health issues. “The withholding of essential health information during such a critical time is deeply troubling,” Yuki told me.
Most people are interested in what’s going on because of Gambaryan’s important position within Binance and the fact that his lawyers are having a hard time getting to him. Reports say that as his health has gotten worse, he has regularly refused to let his lawyers visit or cut short their talks.
The next time the court hears about Gambaryan’s case, on September 4, 2024, they will look at the moving for bail some more. As this court fight goes on, it shows how hard it is for foreign leaders who are detained abroad, especially when they get sick.
The way Gambaryan’s health was handled has been criticized by many, including leaders in the cryptocurrency business and charity groups. In July, the court issued an arrest order for Kuje Correctional Center medical officer Dr. Abraham Ehizojie because he failed to show up in court and give a full medical report on Gambaryan. This event has made people even more worried about the quality of medical care in Nigerian prisons.
As demand from around the world grows, U.S. Congressman Rich McCormick wants Gambaryan’s situation to be handled like a hostage crisis, calling for quick action to free him. As people around the world closely watch, the outcome of this case will be very important in figuring out how to balance the law with protecting someone’s health and rights while they are in jail.
