“The arrest of @Durov is an attack on freedom of expression and association. I am shocked and saddened that President Macron is resorting to hostage-taking to gain access to private communications. This harms not only France, but the world,” Snowden tweeted.
The arrest of @Durov It is an attack on basic human rights of expression and association. I am shocked and deeply saddened that Macron has gone so far as to take hostages as a means of accessing private communications. This degrades not only France, but the world.
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) August 25, 2024
Durov, 39, was arrested after his private jet landed at Le Bourget airport in France. The arrest is related to alleged crimes linked to Telegram, known for its encrypted messaging service.
Durov, who founded Telegram in 2013, left Russia in 2014 after resisting government demands to shut down opposition groups on his VKontakte social media platform. He currently lives in Dubai and holds dual nationality, French and the United Arab Emirates.
Elon Musk, CEO of TeslaHe sarcastically commented: “It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme,” highlighting concerns about increasing censorship.
#FreePavel
image.twitter.com/B7AcJWswMs— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024
American businessman Balaji Srinivasan also criticised the French government’s focus on control rather than crime prevention. “France doesn’t care about crime, it cares about control. Why is Durov expected to manage every action on Telegram?” Srinivasan tweeted.
Musk also quoted Srinivasan’s Twitter post saying: “Well said.”
Well said https://t.co/BerKYejygV
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and other tech figures also expressed concern about the impact on communication freedoms in Europe. David Sacks, general partner at Craft Ventures, compared the situation to a cryptocurrency giveaway, while Paul Graham warned of damage to France’s reputation as a startup hub.
Durov, ranked 120th among the world’s richest as of August 25 and recognized by Forbes in 2022 as the UAE’s richest expatriate, faces possible charges that could lead to a 20-year prison sentence.
According to French media, the director general remains in custody for questioning by French police on Monday. The detention could last up to four days.
Read also: Who is Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram arrested in Paris?
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