U.S. legislators Chrissy Houlahan and French Hill recently called for the release of Tigran Gambaryan after visiting him in a Nigerian prison. The Binance executive is currently facing serious money laundering charges, alleged to be related to his association with Binance, a global cryptocurrency exchange.

Hill reported that Gambaryan is suffering from malaria and double pneumonia, noting that he has lost weight and is being denied adequate medical attention.

“Tigran must be immediately granted a humanitarian release, the remaining charges dropped, and he must return home to America where he belongs,” Hill stated.

Hill, a Republican representative from Arkansas, and Houlahan, a Democrat representative from Pennsylvania, were visiting Nigeria to discuss anti-terrorism efforts. Hill expressed his desire for the U.S. embassy to support Gambaryan’s release due to his prison conditions and health issues.

Although Nigeria dropped the tax charges against two Binance executives last week, Gambaryan remains in custody.

Letter to President Biden

On June 4, U.S. politicians urged President Joe Biden to initiate efforts to bring back the detained Binance executive. The letter, mostly signed by congress members, was addressed to the President, Secretary Antony Blinken, and the Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Roger D. Carstens.

In the letter, the politicians raised concerns about Gambaryan being β€œwrongfully detained” by the Nigerian government.

“We fear for his life. Immediate action is essential to ensure his safety and preserve his life. We must act swiftly before it is too late,” the lawmakers wrote.

Background

Binance executives Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwall were arrested in February and charged with criminal violations by the Nigerian government. Gambaryan is awaiting trial, while Anjarwall escaped custody and was extradited from Kenya to Nigeria.

The two individuals went to Nigeria to discuss regulatory issues on behalf of Binance and the government’s recent crackdown on cryptocurrency trading platforms with officials. They were arrested and held by the government without their passports following the negotiations.

Binance has been trying to convince Nigerian authorities that Gambaryan does not have decision-making authority in the company. They argue that he should not be required to appear in court for any charges and should be released.

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