Leaders Angry As France Detains Telegram CEO
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
PARIS/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – There was outrage Sunday after French authorities confirmed they had detained Pavel Durov, the billionaire co-founder and chief executive of the social media platform and messaging application Telegram.
The 39-year-old was detained at the Bourget airport outside Paris, the capital, late Saturday after arriving from Azerbaijan on his private jet, several sources said.
“France just arrested Pavel Durov, founder & CEO of the encrypted, uncensored Telegram platform. The need to protect free speech has never been more urgent,” noted Robert F Kennedy Jr, who abandoned his U.S. presidential campaign Friday and endorsed Republican Donald J. Trump.
The investigation is reportedly about a lack of “moderation,” with Durov accused of failing to curb Telegram’s criminal use.
His application is accused of failure to cooperate with law enforcement over drug trafficking, child sexual content, and fraud.
Telegram has previously denied having insufficient moderation while critics say the platform is under pressure for allowing different opinions than the mainstream narrative on issues ranging from “climate change” to Israel or the war in Ukraine.
Several independent and Christian media, including Worthy News, are among the outlets using the platform.
Elon Musk, who heads social media platform X, asked for Pavel’s release, as did Chris Pavlovski, the chief executive officer of the Ruble video-sharing platform.
DEPARTING EUROPE
“I’m a little late to this, but for good reason— I’ve just safely departed from Europe. France has threatened Rumble, and now they have crossed a red line by arresting Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov, reportedly for not censoring speech,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Rumble will not stand for this behavior and will use every legal means available to fight for freedom of expression, a universal human right. We are currently fighting in the courts of France, and we hope for Pavel Durov’s immediate release,” he added in his comments monitored by Worthy News.
Durov appeared in court on Sunday. The Russian-born entrepreneur lives in Dubai, where Telegram is based, and holds dual citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates.
Durov, estimated by Forbes magazine to have a fortune of $15.5 billion, left Russia in 2014 after he refused to comply with demands to shut down opposition communities on his VK social media platform, which he sold.
Russia’s embassy in France said it was taking “immediate steps” to clarify the situation.
Russian media reported, citing a representative from the Russian embassy in France, that Durov’s team did not appeal to the embassy but was proactively taking “immediate” steps.
Durov and his brother Nikolai founded the messaging app in 2013, and it has about 900 million active users.
ENCRYPTED MESSAGING
Telegram offers end-to-end encrypted messaging, and users can also set up “channels” to disseminate information quickly to followers, including those in autocratically ruled countries.
It comes at a time of broader concerns among critics about perceived censorship attempts by the European Union leaders.
Several tech companies have been told by Brussels to moderate “harmful” content.
Earlier this month, The EU’s executive European Commission came under fire after Commissioner Thierry Breton warned Musk to comply with legal obligations under the EU’s digital rulebook
shortly before the billionaire interviewed U.S. Republican candidate Trump live on his X platform.
Beton said it was crucial to have “proportionate and effective mitigation measures regarding the amplification of harmful content” in place.
Musk condemned the letter and made it clear in harsh language that he wouldn’t accept what he viewed as EU censorship.
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