The French President has stated that the arrest of Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of Telegram, was not a political move. Durov was detained after his private jet landed at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday.
Pavel Durov has been arrested and is being held as part of an investigation into cybercrimes. This investigation includes issues related to illegal transactions, child sexual abuse images, and fraud, according to the Paris prosecutor.
In his first public statement about the arrest, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that France strongly supports freedom of expression. However, he noted that freedoms must be exercised within the law to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.
Macron also addressed misinformation about Durov’s arrest. He clarified that the arrest was made as part of an ongoing legal investigation and was not a political decision. He stated that it is up to the judges to make decisions about the case.
Russian government officials have reacted strongly to Pavel Durov’s arrest, claiming it is politically motivated and reflects the West’s double standards on freedom of speech.
This reaction has surprised some critics of the Kremlin. They point out that in 2018, Russian authorities attempted to block Telegram but were unsuccessful. The government eventually lifted the ban in 2020.
Telegram issued a statement on its platform saying it has nothing to hide. The company follows EU laws, including the Digital Services Act, and works to ensure its moderation practices meet industry standards and are always improving.
Telegram called the idea that the platform or its owner is responsible for any misuse “absurd.” The company pointed out that nearly a billion people around the world use Telegram for communication and important information. Telegram is hoping for a quick resolution to the situation and reassured its users that it stands by them.
Telegram was started by Pavel Durov and his brother after the Russian government cracked down on pro-democracy protests in Moscow in late 2011 and 2012. Durov left Russia after losing control of his earlier social media company, Vkontakte (VK).
Telegram is now one of the most popular apps globally, with nearly one billion users.
The app provides end-to-end encryption, which means that messages are protected from being intercepted by anyone other than the intended recipients. It also places a strong emphasis on user privacy.
However, these security features have also made Telegram a popular platform for illegal activities. Recently, it was used by far-right activists to organize and incite riots in the UK following the Southport stabbings.
