Detained Binance exec sues Nigeria over ‘human rights violations’

Detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan has initiated legal action against Nigerian authorities, including the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu and the Economics and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), over allegations of human rights violations.

Gambaryan, an American citizen overseeing the exchange’s crime investigation unit, was detained alongside his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla by Nigerian authorities on Feb. 26 as part of investigations into the platform’s operation in the West African country.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian authorities’ tax evasion case against the crypto trading platform and its executives is expected to commence on April 4.

Human rights violation

Gambaryan reportedly filed a motion at the Federal High Court, Abuja division, presenting five key demands.

These include a declaration that his detention and the continued confiscation of his passport violated his liberty rights under the Nigerian constitution; a court order for his immediate release and the return of his passport, and a permanent injunction preventing the authorities from further detaining him in relation to the Binance investigation.

Furthermore, the motion demands a public apology and stipulates that the defendants cover all expenses incurred during the legal proceedings.

NAnjarwalla initially pursued similar legal action to safeguard his fundamental human rights. However, his legal representatives withdrew the motion after he escaped custody on March 22.

The court adjourned the proceedings to April 8, citing the absence of the respondents and the lack of legal representation for one of the applicants.

Tax evasion

Binance and its executives are set to be arraigned at a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja on a four-count tax evasion charge.

The charges assert that Binance neglected to register with relevant local agencies and avoided tax responsibilities. Moreover, the Nigerian government accused Binance of facilitating users who evade tax payments.

In addition to these allegations, Binance is accused of neglecting to issue invoices for Value Added Tax (VAT) purposes and failing to deduct these tax payments from its users.

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