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Highlights
- Pavel Durov, Telegram CEO, was arrested in France on charges related to criminal activities on his platform.
- Elon Musk and RFK Jr. publicly supported Durov, criticizing censorship and government pressure.
- The #FREEDUROV campaign gained traction, with crypto leaders pledging support and donations for Durov's legal defense.
The recent arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France has ignited a firestorm of controversy and public outrage. Numerous tech industry leaders, celebrities, and prominent figures like Elon Musk and Andrew Tate came forward to demand his release. Moreover, political figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who recently gave up his presidential run to support Donald Trump, also joined the fray.
Industry Leaders & Public Figures Support Pavel Durov
In the wake of Pavel Durov’s arrest, a powerful wave of support has emerged from tech industry leaders and celebrities alike. Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly known as Twitter), has been particularly vocal. Earlier, on Sunday, Musk shared an old interview of Durov with American journalist Tucker Carlson.
In the interview, Durov discussed alleged intimidation tactics by the U.S. Government and the FBI. Hence, Elon Musk’s message was clear that Durov is being targeted for his refusal to cave into governmental pressures. Moreover, Musk also criticized Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, highlighting the hypocrisy in how authorities are handling the situation.
Responding to a tweet questioning why Zuckerberg isn’t facing similar scrutiny for enabling child predator accounts on Instagram, Musk remarked:
“Because he already caved into censorship pressure. Instagram has a massive child exploitation problem, but no arrest for Zuck, as he censors free speech and gives governments backdoor access to user data.”
Meanwhile, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent figure and advocate for free speech, took to X to express his outrage. At the time of arrest, he stated, “France just arrested Pavel Durov, founder & CEO of the encrypted, uncensored Telegram platform. The need to protect free speech has never been more urgent.”
#FreeDurov Campaign
In response to his arrest, Telegram has launched the #FREEDUROV campaign, which has quickly gained traction across social media platforms. The campaign has attracted support from various celebrities and tech industry leaders. Moreover, Tron founder Justin Sun called for the creation of a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) to help fund Pavel Durov’s legal defense.
He pledged $1 million to the cause if there is enough community support. Sun’s appeal highlights the strong ties between Telegram and the decentralized finance (DeFi) space. Moreover, Sun called upon support from Musk, however, the tech mogul is yet to respond.
Additionally, Memeland, the firm behind Memecoin (MEME), announced that it had converted $1 million of its treasury into Toncoin (TON), native crypto of TON Blockchain. Memeland declared its intention to “HODL until #FREEDUROV,” signaling its commitment to supporting Durov amid the ongoing legal battle.
However, despite such strong support, rumors of Apple removing Telegram app have surfaced. This marks another significant drawback for the Telegram and TON community. Also, Bitcoin maximalist Samson Mow criticized Durov despite demanding his release. He wrote:
“#FreePavel
But…
It is foolish how he thought Telegram could indefinitely operate a network without default E2E encryption and not play ball with regimes.
I see the same sort of presumption from Nostr devs/proponents ignoring the core architectural problem of needing relays.”
Telegram CEO’s Arrest & Allegations
Pavel Durov’s arrest on August 25 was a significant event that has shaken the tech world. Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris as he disembarked from his private jet. The arrest was made reportedly in connection with a French investigation into his alleged involvement in facilitating criminal activities through his messaging platform, Telegram.
The French Air Transport Gendarmerie carried out the operation, acting on a search warrant issued by the OFMIN of the French judicial police. The Telegram CEO was taken into custody alongside his bodyguard and an unidentified woman. Moreover, the charges against him are serious.
These include a range of offenses including terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering. In addition, Pavel Durov is accused of the distribution of illegal content, such as child exploitation material. In addition, French authorities have voiced concerns about Telegram’s role in enabling various illegal activities due to its lack of moderation.
Investigators argue that Durov’s actions, or his failure to act, have turned Telegram into a haven for organized crime, according to French news outlet TF1. Furthermore, his arrest is viewed as part of a broader European crackdown on secure messaging services believed to be facilitating criminal activities.
Meanwhile, Andrew Tate also questioned France’s law enforcement. He wrote, “Remember: France is full of migrants which are robbing, stealing, mugging, raping and murdering. They are not in jail. They are on the streets of every major city. However Pavel is in jail for owning an app that lets you know about it.”
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