The Chief Executive Officer of Binance, Richard Teng has called on the Nigerian government to stop the inhuman treatment of the crypto exchange’s head of crime compliance, Tigran Gambaryan. More so, Teng took to his official X page on Tuesday after a new video surfaced indicating the poor treatment of Gambaryan in the custody of the Nigerian government.
Recall that on September 2, Tigran Gambaryan appeared in court for his trial. The video captured the disturbing situation of the Binance head of crime compliance as his health appears to deteriorate.
Consequently, the video caught the attention of the crypto community including the CEO of the exchange. In his post, Richard Teng called on the Nigerian government to release Gambaryan so he could have access to good healthcare facilities.
Additionally, Teng discussed how Gambaryan’s detention has kept his family members worried. Further, the CEO revealed that the Nigerian government has kept the executive in its custody for more than six months denying him access to legal representation and medical attention.
In a separate statement, Gambaryan’s family explained how he has been struggling to walk due to pain from his unaddressed spinal injury. Similarly, in the video, the prison failed to provide Gambaryan with a wheelchair, insisting he walk with the aid of a single crutch.
Background of the Nigerian Government and Binance Crisis
It is worth mentioning that the Nigerian government arrested Tigran Gambaryan alongside another Binance executive in February. Shortly after the arrest, the other executive escaped, fleeing out of the country using a Kenyan passport.
According to a Binbits report, Tigran Gambaryan is in the custody of the Nigerian government due to alleged financial crimes involving up to $34 million as a result of Binance’s operation in the country. Ever since, Binance’s head of crimes compliance has remained in the coffers of the West African country government.
Following the arrest of Gambaryan, Binance ceased its operations in Nigeria, leading to an uproar from crypto enthusiasts in the country. Binbits reported that the Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria protested against the poor treatment of the Binance official and the regulatory uncertainty over the country’s crypto market.
Meanwhile, the attorney of the Binance executive filed a new motion for bail referencing the bad state of Gambaryan’s health. Representatives of Nigeria’s Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) countered the motion, insisting that the executive is healthy and doesn’t need any emergency health intervention.
Thereafter, the judge fixed the next hearing for September 6, revealing that he would consider the bail motion.