Congressman Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) has asserted that the US government should "dedicate every possible resource" to ensure the safe return of Tigran Gambaryan, a constituent who has been held by the Nigerian government since February 26. McCormick made this statement during an April 30 House Foreign Affairs Committee roundtable on Americans detained abroad.
"Firstly, my thoughts and prayers are with Tigran Gambaryan and his wife Yuki, his two children, and the entire family for the pain and suffering they have endured throughout this time of tigran's unjust detention," said McCormick. "Tigran belongs at home in the arms of his loved ones, and I believe that our duty is to dedicate every possible resource to ensure his safe and expedient return home to the United States."
During this roundtable, McCormick represented Gambaryan on behalf of his wife, Yuki, as per a video recording of the event. McCormick read a prepared statement from Yuki in which she expressed her concerns about the "grave injustice" of her husband's detention by the Nigerian authorities. According to her, Gambaryan had traveled to Nigeria following an invitation from Nigerian officials, a common occurrence in his role as head of financial crime compliance for the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. "However, 24 hours after his arrival, he was arrested and detained without charge or explanation," Yuki stated. She added that two weeks later, the Nigerian government fabricated tax-related charges against both Gambaryan and Binance. These charges are "utterly baseless," according to Yuki. She said her husband was tricked into entering the country under false pretenses and then arrested due to some grudge against his employer. As a result, her entire family is now caught in this conflict.
DL News reported that Gambaryan's trial has faced multiple procedural delays. On May 22, Nigerian officials failed to bring him to court for a scheduled appearance. The next day, Gambaryan fainted in court due to deteriorating health conditions attributed to spending eight weeks in a Nigerian prison.
Amnesty International researchers have described conditions in Nigerian prisons as "appalling," according to a press release from the organization. They reported overcrowded cells with unsanitary toilets and rampant disease due to these poor conditions.
In April, a spokesperson for Representative McCormick informed Federal Newswire that the Congressman is actively working with relevant officials to resolve Mr. Gambaryan's situation promptly.
According to McCormick's official website, the Republican lawmaker and physician has been serving Georgia's 6th congressional district, which includes several northern Atlanta suburbs, since 2023.
