Tigran Gambaryan Denied Access to Lawyers as Health Deteriorates
- Tigran Gambaryan faces a fresh hurdle in Nigeria.
- The Binance executive reportedly risks permanent health damage amid continued negligence.
- Gambaryan faces at least two more months of detention.
From procedural hiccups to disregard of court orders , Nigerian officials continue to frustrate Binance Chief Financial Crime Compliance Officer Tigran Gambaryan’s efforts to secure his release from a months-long detention for the alleged actions of his employers.
In the latest instance, prison officials have now reportedly denied the Binance executive access to his lawyers even as his health continues to raise concerns.
Gambaryan Denied Legal Access
Tigran Gambaryan faces a fresh hurdle in Nigeria. According to an August 12 statement the family of the Binance executive shared with DailyCoin, Gambaryan has been denied access to his lawyers since July 26.
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Gambaryan has been held in Nigeria since February 26, 2024 and has been subsequently named the second defendant in tax evasion and money laundering cases against Binance. While his name has been dropped from the tax evasion case, the money laundering charges still linger.
Beyond frustrating Gambaryan’s defense, his family has argued that the Nigerian Correctional Service’s recent decision to block the Binance executive’s access to his lawyers contravened his constitutional rights and Nigeria’s prison regulations.
DailyCoin reached out to the Nigerian Correctional Service for comments but has yet to receive a response at the time of writing.
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In the recent statement, Gambaryan’s family also stressed that the Binance executive’s health was quickly deteriorating.
Gambaryan “Mostly Bedridden”
Tigran Gambaryan’s health has been a significant concern in the ongoing detention saga since he collapsed in court on May 23 . Since then, things have gone downhill as DailyCoin observed a limp in the stride of the Binance executive in subsequent hearings, with Gambaryan eventually needing to be carried in and taken out of court in a wheelchair during the most recent trial on July 16, a condition the family has attributed to a worsening herniated disk.
Decrying Gambaryan’s fast deteriorating health, the family asserted in their recent statement that the Binance executive was now “mostly bedridden” and in need of multiple surgeries even as prison officials continue to withhold his medical records despite numerous orders from the judge in charge of Gambaryan’s case.
"The herniated disc in Tigran's back requires highly specialized and risky surgery. He has had so many throat infections as well as pneumonia at Kuje [the prison where he is being held], that he now also requires a further surgery to remove his tonsils. As he is mostly bedridden, he is now having to take blood thinners to avoid blood clots," the emailed statement read.In a personal statement, the Binance executive’s wife, Yuki Gambaryan, raised alarm about the potential of “permanent” health damage if her husband’s condition continued to be ignored.
"The herniated disc in his back has worsened to the point where it might leave permanent damage and affect his ability to walk. My once fit and healthy husband, who loves working out, is now wheelchair-bound due to a treatable condition that has not been properly addressed," she lamented.Amid these concerns and highlighting how challenging it is for her children to cope with their father’s prolonged absence, Yuki again pleaded with the Nigerian government to release her husband.
"Life is becoming harder and harder every day for all of us because of Tigran's absence. I am begging the Nigerian government to please release him so that he can come home and receive the medical treatment he urgently needs before it is too late," She surmised.Despite these pleas, it is unlikely that there will be any progress in the Tigran Gambaryan case for months to come.
Court Recess
Gambaryan faces at least two more months of detention as his case has been put on hold till October 11 amid a long vacation for Nigerian Federal High Court judges, which kicked off on July 23 and is slated to end on September 13.
The case so far has seen testimony from a Nigerian SEC director and an official of the country’s central bank . So far, Nigerian authorities have yet to directly connect Gambaryan to the alleged crimes committed by Binance beyond his position as the firm’s chief financial crime compliance officer, a position Gambaryan’s lawyers have tried to show is akin to that of a criminal investigator who is only called in when it is believed that a crime has been committed on the platform.
Meanwhile, beyond courtroom activities, several U.S. lawmakers continue to pile pressure on the Biden administration to treat Gambaryan’s detention as a hostage situation amid the belief that Nigerian authorities are only holding the Binance executive to shake down the crypto exchange. At the same time, Binance has maintained that it is in talks to secure Gambaryan’s release.
On the Flipside
- Nigerian authorities have previously dismissed claims that Gambaryan is being mistreated in prison.
- Gambaryan had also been named in a separate tax evasion case against Binance. The case was, however, amended to exclude the Binance executive after the exchange appointed an agent in the country.
Why This Matters
Tigran Gambaryan has been in Nigerian detention for nearly 170 days, or almost six months, far away from his family and friends. He has been held for crimes allegedly committed by Binance despite being only a mid-level manager with no influence over the firm’s operations.
Catch up on the Tigran Gambaryan detention saga. How did a former IRS Special Agent and U.S. citizen find himself in this nightmare? Find out here:
Tigran Gambaryan Is Still Detained After 100+ Days: What’s Going On?
An Ethereum ICO participant is adding to the dampening sentiment around ETH. Learn more here:
Early Ethereum Investor’s 48.5K Move Piles the Heat on ETH
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
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