The arrest of Pavel Dúrov, founder of Telegramin France, relaunched the debate on the moderation of content on social networks and freedom of expression on Saturday evening. Personalities from the political world, such as Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedevor a technology, such as Elon Muskcriticised the European Union for authorising his arrest, making him a political martyr. Also a lawyer from Puigdemont, Gonzalo Boyejoined in the reproach.
On the side of the Russian regime, MP Maria Butina considered on Sunday that Durov is a “political prisoner” of the West and that his arrest is part of a witch hunt What does freedom of speech mean? is now “dead” in Europe.
Butina, who spent 15 months in prison in the United States for acting as an unregistered Russian agent and is now a United Russia party lawmaker, said she believed Durov was arrested as part of a Western attempt to take control of Telegram.
“Now, basically They have a hostage and will try to blackmail Russia“They will try to blackmail all Telegram users and not only take control of it, but they will also try to block the network here in Russia,” he said.
Dmitry Medvedevfor his part, considered that “for all our common enemies nowHe is Russian and therefore unpredictable and dangerous.”
In a post on the social network xElon Musk has shown his support for the creator of Telegram make sure that We live in “dangerous times” and deeming it “essential to support freedom of expression” that your social network publications are transmitted to known people, “especially in countries where censorship is strong.”
He is right
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024
Durov, who currently has a fortune estimated at nearly 14 billion euros according to Forbesbased Telegram in Dubai after leaving Russia in 2014 for refusing to shut down opposition communities on its former VK platform, is now supported by the Kremlin as a “weapon” against the West after his arrest.
Durov, who could spend years in prison, according to some Russian politicians, have citizenship of this countrybut also French and Emirati, passports which he received in 2021.
Kremlin reaction
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharovaassured that Moscow had sent a note to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to gain access to Durov, born in Russia but residing in Dubai.
On her Telegram channel, Zajárova also called on major Western non-governmental organizations to defend Durov.
In the meantime, he added, “Dúrov remained free and continued to develop Telegram,” unaware that the Russian businessman had to go into exile after being pressured to sell the Vkontakte network, the Russian Facebook.
Me toon Russian Ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova today accused France of arresting Pavel Durov, the creator of the encrypted messaging network Telegram, “with the aim of closing down the platform where one can know the truth about what is happening in the world.”
“The arrest of the founder of Telegram in France is a serious violation of the right to freedom of expression” and also a clear manifestation of “double standards with regard to the most fundamental human rights on the part of a series of countries that boast of democracy and, in reality, they are trying to trample him“, said.
Boye speaks of “coercion”
Among the reactions to Dúrov’s arrest at the Spanish level, Gonzalo Boye stands out, Carles Puigdemont’s lawyerwho questions the strategy behind this action by the French authorities. According to Boye, this strategy aims present a dilemma between “more security or more freedom”and stresses that, in his opinion, “without freedom, there is little illusion of security.”
The strategy behind the arrest of Pavel Durov, CEO of @telegram it’s obvious:
1.- Criminalize the activity of the platform based on the use that some of its users may make of it.
2.- Threaten the owner of the platform with heavy prison sentences, and…
– Gonzalo Boye (@boye_g) August 25, 2024
In a message published on the platform xBoye said the purpose of Durov’s arrest “it’s pretty clear” and bases it on three main objectives: among them “criminalize the platform’s actiondepending on the use that some of its users make of it.”
Snowden: “Macron is taking hostages”
He Edward Snowden, former CIA analyst condemned on Sunday the arrest in France of Pavel Dúrov, the creator of the encrypted messaging network Telegram.
“Dúrov’s arrest is an attack on the fundamental human rights of freedom of expression and association,” he wrote in x.
Snowden added: “I am surprised and deeply saddened that (French President Emmanuel) Macron stooped to taking hostages to access private messages“.
According to him, the arrest of Durov “violates dignity“not only from France, but from all over the world.
Snowden, who at the time also condemned the arrest in Minsk of Belarusian opposition journalist Román Protasovich, whose authorities forced the RyanAir plane he was travelling on from Athens to Vilnius to land, He generally makes few public statements..
Lives in Russia since he revealed details of US spying programs in 2013 And obtained citizenship in September 2022.
Telegram: “Nothing to hide”
Telegram has defended its founder, Pavel Durov, claiming that “he has nothing to hide” and who travels frequently across Europe. In response to criticism, the company argued that it was absurd to blame a platform and its owner for its misuse. Additionally, they assured that they comply with European Union laws, including the Digital Services Act, and that their moderation follows industry standards with a constant commitment to improvement.
Reason for arrest
Billionaire Pavel Dúrov, creator of the popular messaging app Telegram, He was arrested on Saturday evening at Le Bourget airport.located on the outskirts of Paris.
The 39-year-old Franco-Russian billionaire was the subject of a French arrest warrant issued by the Office for Minors (OFMIN) of the National Directorate of the Judicial Police on the basis of a preliminary investigation.
The French courts argue that Telegram’s lack of moderation and Dúrov’s lack of cooperation with authorities, as well as the tools the platform offers, such as disposable numbers and cryptography, make him an accomplice to crimes such as drug trafficking, pedophilia and fraud.
