American citizen Tigran Gambaryan is being denied adequate access to his legal team and his health is deteriorating rapidly.
Since the court in Abuja went on holiday on July 16th – adjourning the next hearing to October 11th – Tigran’s detention conditions have significantly worsened. Since July 26th, his legal team has been blocked from entering Kuje prison to meet with him which is against both the Nigerian constitution and section 45 of the Nigerian Prisons Regulations which state that “all prisoners, other than prisoners under sentence, shall be allowed all reasonable opportunities daily of communicating with their friends or legal adviser, and they may write and receive letters.”
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, 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. He has also previously suffered malaria in Nigerian detention and collapsed in court. Despite his health being in such a concerning condition, the prison continues to hold his medical records.
Tigran lives in Georgia (USA) and is married to Yuki Gambaryan, they have two young children, a 10-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son. He was invited by the Nigerian authorities for a meeting in Abuja in February. He last saw his family on February 24th. Following a meeting on February 26th, he was made to hand over his American passport and has been held in Nigerian custody since then.
His wife, Yuki, has made a desperate plea to the Nigerian government to release her husband so that he can get the medical care he requires.
“My husband Tigran left our home for a work trip almost six months ago, and I have no idea when he will be back. Now his health is in a shockingly bad condition and getting worse by the day.
“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. He needs highly specialized and risky surgery, it is terrifying. Additionally, an ENT doctor examined him last week and determined he also needs surgery to remove his tonsils due to the recurring infections he is suffering in detention.
“I recently found our five-year-old son crying on the floor of our living room. “I miss my daddy” was all he said. He cannot understand why his father has been gone for so long. I had no idea how to comfort him. It was simply devastating. Our ten-year-old daughter is trying her best to be strong in this traumatic situation we find ourselves in. Her resilience makes me proud and sad at the same time because this is not anything a child should endure. 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,” said Yuki.
