Pressure mounts as US demands Nigeria release Binance executive

US diplomatic pressure on Nigeria has intensified in recent months over the release of Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive who has been detained in the African country since February.

Gambaryan suffers from serious health problems, including malaria and complications from a herniated disc. He is facing critical conditions in prison and this has prompted the US to intervene on behalf of the executive.

According to a report in The New York Times and statements by U.S. State Department officials, the U.S. government has been in high-level talks with Nigeria. The government is seeking Gambaryan’s release on humanitarian grounds.

In May, for example, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the issue directly with his Nigerian counterpart. The aim was to try to resolve the situation. Since then, US diplomats, including the ambassador to the country, have been pressing top Nigerian officials, including the president, the finance minister and the attorney general, to release the Binance executive.

Tigran Gambaryan’s health is a central concern in the negotiations. According to his family, he has not received adequate medical treatment. This has worsened his condition during his time in detention.

In a recent interview, Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki Gambaryan, expressed her frustration with the lack of action by American authorities:

“I would be very upset if the U.S. government welcomed Nigerian delegates with open arms,” she said, referring to the upcoming visit of Nigerian leaders to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

US seeks release of Binance executive

Efforts to secure Gambaryan’s release have been stepped up since June. On that occasion, U.S. lawmakers visited the executive in prison, emphasizing the severity of his health condition and the need for proper medical care. However, diplomatic discussions have so far failed to result in his release.

Beyond the health of the Binance executive, the case raises broader concerns about the challenges faced by executives of global companies in foreign countries.

Binance CEO Richard Teng warned in May that Gambaryan’s arrest could set a “dangerous precedent” for international companies operating in different jurisdictions. Binance said the executive’s arrest was an attack on corporate integrity and the freedom of its employees to operate safely in foreign markets.