Key takeaways
- Mr Gambaryan, who has been detained since February, suffers from serious health problems, including malaria.
- Talks have been held between the US and Nigeria, focusing on the humanitarian release of the Binance employee.
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The U.S. government is urging Nigeria to release an employee of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, who was arrested in February and whose health condition has worsened in prison, according to two U.S. State Department officials.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the issue directly with his Nigerian counterpart in May, officials confirmed. U.S. diplomats, including the ambassador to Nigeria, have since held private discussions with several senior Nigerian officials, including the country’s president, finance minister, attorney general and trade minister, advocating for the employee’s release.
The detained employee, Mr Gambaryan, 40, reportedly suffered significant medical problems while incarcerated, including a bout of malaria and complications from a herniated disc.
US diplomats have stressed the need for his release on humanitarian grounds. According to his family, Mr. Gambaryan did not receive adequate medical care, which led to a rapid deterioration in his health.
Efforts to secure his release have intensified since June, with the State Department repeatedly pressing the Nigerian government to raise concerns about his lack of adequate medical care. Even so, his supporters are calling on the United States to take more decisive action.
Mr Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki, expressed frustration in an interview, saying: “I would be very upset if the American government welcomed Nigerian delegates with open arms,” referring to the upcoming visit of Nigerian officials to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
As Crypto Briefing reported, in May, Binance CEO Richard Teng demanded the release of Tigran Gambaryan, who has been detained in Nigeria for over 70 days, warning of the dangerous precedent this sets for global businesses.
In June, U.S. lawmakers visited Binance CEO Tigran Gambaryan in a Nigerian prison, advocating for his release due to his critical health condition and inadequate care.
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