Nigerian Government Drops Charges against Gambaryan
The Armenian Bar Association welcomes the news that Tigran Gambaryan, a US national of Armenian descent, has returned to the U.S. after an eight-month detention in Nigeria, where he faced baseless money laundering charges in connection with his work for Binance. Gambaryan endured abuse and severe damage to his health while in Nigerian custody and will receive medical treatment at home.
Leading the efforts to secure the freedom of Mr. Gambaryan was the pro bono engagement of the international law firm of Winston & Strawn, with partner Richard Weber helming the legal team. Complementing Winston & Strawn’s and the Armenian Bar’s inputs were the official expressions of the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. government. U.S. House Representative Richard McCormick, Mr. Gambaryan’s district representative, had submitted, to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Resolution 1348. The Resolution urged the Nigerian government to release expeditiously Mr. Gambaryan from that country’s Kuje prison. In a warning that ultimately came to fruition, H.R. 1348 exhorted the U.S. and Nigerian governments to act meaningfully to guarantee Mr. Gambaryan’s release.
In its advocacy efforts, the Armenian Bar Association emphasized that, under United States Code section 1741 (a)(9)(10), Mr. Gambaryan qualified as a hostage wrongfully detained by a foreign country. “Today marks a crucial turning point for Tigran,” said Lucy Varpetian, Chair of the Armenian Bar Association. “We are relieved and pleased that his rights have been vindicated and that the Armenian Bar Association played its modest part in helping with Tigran’s release. This situation underscores the importance of advocating for individuals who find themselves in precarious legal circumstances abroad.”
The Nigerian government detained Gambaryan in February, after inviting him to the country to address issues related to Binance. They eventually charged him with money-laundering and tax evasion, apparently entirely in connection with the government’s grievances against Binance and in an effort to extract concessions from Binance. During his imprisonment, he developed serious health issues, including malaria, pneumonia, and complications from a herniated disc. Despite his dire condition, he was seen struggling with mobility issues in a recent court appearance.
The Nigerian government’s decision to withdraw the charges comes amid growing pressure from various stakeholders, including the Armenian Bar Association, law enforcement personnel who worked alongside Tigran and U.S. Congress members, who sought to have him formally designated as a hostage and called for the U.S. government to take action to ensure Gambaryan’s safe return to the United States.
“The reality is that Nigeria had no business prosecuting Gambaryan in the first place, and his detention was merely a ploy to extract concessions from his employer,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Board Member of the Armenian Bar Association. “The Armenian Bar Association will always advocate for Armenians who find themselves facing unjust prosecution and detention anywhere in the world.”
The Armenian Bar Association remains committed to monitoring the situation and advocating for justice and accountability in cases like his and, most tellingly, for the emancipation of Artsakh’s political prisoners and hostages who continue to be held unlawfully in the prisons of Azerbaijan.
Armenian Bar Association
