Swedish Consulate – Pavel Durov, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Telegram, was recently detain by French authorities at a northern Paris airport. The arrest occurred after his private jet landed at Le Bourget Airport, according to French media reports.
The 39-year-old billionaire was apprehend based on a warrant related to violations connected with the popular messaging app. The investigation reportedly centers on issues of inadequate moderation, with Durov accused of failing to take necessary actions to curb criminal use of Telegram.
The app faces allegations of not cooperating with law enforcement regarding drug trafficking, child sexual abuse content, and fraud. Telegram has previously denied any claims of insufficient moderation.
Durov, who was born in Russia and currently resides in Dubai where Telegram is headquarter holds dual citizenship in the United Arab Emirates and France.
Telegram was Banned in Russia
Telegram is widely use in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet countries. The app was ban in Russia in 2018 after Durov refused to comply with demands to hand over user data. The ban was lifted in 2021. Telegram is rank among the top social media platforms, following Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat.
Founded by Durov in 2013, Telegram saw him leave Russia in 2014 after he refused to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on VKontakte. a social media platform he previously owned and sold.
On Sunday, the Russian Embassy in France posted on Facebook that they were working to “clarify the reasons for the detention, protect Durov’s rights, and facilitate consular access.”
The post also noted that French authorities were not cooperating with Russian officials.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova shared a message on Telegram questioning whether Western human rights organizations would remain silent on Durov’s arrest, after they criticized Russia’s 2018 decision which “created obstacles” for Telegram’s operations in Russia.
“Bake Bika Ambon: Achieving the Ideal Texture Without Using a Mixer”
Russian Officials Condemn the Arrest
Several Russian officials have criticized the arrest of the entrepreneur. Asserting that it reflects a double standard in the West concerning freedom of speech and democracy.
American whistleblower Edward Snowden, who has been living in exile in Russia since 2013. Commented on X that Durov’s arrest “is an attack on the human rights to speak and associate.”
Elon Musk, owner of X, who has faced considerable criticism over moderation. Content on his own social media site, has frequently posted about the situation. He used the hashtag #freepavel in one post and in another wrote: “POV [Point of View]: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re execute for liking a meme.”
Telegram allows groups with up to 200,000 members. Which critics argue facilitates the spread of misinformation and allows users to share extremist, neo-Nazi, pedophilic, or terrorism-related content.
In the UK, the app has come under scrutiny for hosting far-right channels that played a significant role in inciting violence in British cities earlier this month.
While Telegram has remove some groups, experts in cybersecurity note that its system for moderating extremist. And illegal content is significantly weaker compare to other social media and messaging platforms.
“The Complete Information From Wikipedia About CEO Telegram“
