After the billionaire founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, was arrested, Elon Musk voiced his disapproval of European authorities, calling it an attack on free speech. Musk called for Durov’s justice in several posts.
According to a post by American businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, “Today is Telegram day. Tomorrow, it will be X. Elon Musk agreed, stating that “he’s right” in response.
A separate tweet from Musk hinted at what he believed to be tightening censorship in the area, saying, “POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme.”
Shortly after arriving on a private plane from Azerbaijan, Durov was taken into custody at Le Bourget airport, which is close to Paris. As part of an initial police investigation into Telegram’s moderation policies, 39-year-old Russian-born entrepreneur Pavel Durov, who holds dual citizenship with the United Arab Emirates and France, was taken into custody.
According to reports, the platform is being looked into by French authorities for allegedly enabling a number of crimes because of poor content moderation and a lack of cooperation with law enforcement.
Durov was taken into custody on the basis of an active arrest warrant in France, according to a report published by Reuters.
The investigation, which is being led by a judge with experience in organized crime, is being carried out by a specialised unit within the cybersecurity gendarmerie and France’s national anti-fraud police.
The Russian government warned France after Durov was detained, stressing that he should be granted his legal rights. Despite Durov’s French citizenship, the foreign ministry of Russia said that it had written to Paris requesting access to him.
In the meantime, Russian lawmaker Maria Butina called Durov a “political prisoner,” alleging that the West was involved in a “witch-hunt” for him.
Telegram responded by releasing a statement in which it claimed that the platform complies with laws from the European Union, such as the Digital Services Act. The company stood up for Durov, saying he travels all over Europe and has nothing to hide.
In addition, Telegram refuted arguments that the platform’s proprietor or itself ought to be held liable for any abuse of the service and reiterated its dedication to free speech and user privacy.
