Despite abiding by the EU laws, including the Digital Services Act— Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram is jailed under suspicion for lacking platform moderation.
France authorities on the charges against Durov
OFMIN a French agency combating violence against minors is investigating Durov regarding alleged offences including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime and promotion of terrorism.
This comes from an AFP report quoting anonymous officials.
Other anonymous quoted sources, reported by TF1 TV and BFM TV, Durov is focused on a lack of moderation.
Telegram Refutes the Charges
In a statement by Telegram, the platform said Durov has nothing to hide.
“Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards… It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”
The Russian Embassy Ignored
The Russian embassy in France demanded consular access to Durov. Russia’s embassy demands that the ex-Russian be ensured his legal rights. So far, France has ignored requests regarding Durov.
A source for on-the-ground information
Created in 2013, Durov and his brother built and grew Telegram with close to 1 billion users.
Durov fled Russia in 2014, after refusing a legal order to allow the Kremlin to access user’s private information and messages. Durov then searched for a new home for his company, in cities like Berlin, Singapore, and San Francisco. Ultimately, making his home in Dubai.
After Russia launched its special operations in Ukraine, Telegram became the main source of unfiltered content from both sides.
The app is heavily used by Russian and Ukrainian officials, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Responding to Durov’s arrest, Mikhail Ulyanov expressed a statement which threw shade at Durov’s unbending principle of not wanting to be involved in politics, upholding free speech, and the privacy of users. While also jabbing at France.
“Some naive persons still don’t understand that if they play more or less visible role in international information space, it is not safe for them to visit countries which move towards much more totalitarian societies,” Ulyanov wrote on X.
Pavel Durov, the annoyance of Russia and enemy of the US
In a Tucker Carlson interview, the Telegram CEO talks about attempted government interference against Telegram.
The Russian government, after multiple protests held in Ukraine against Russia, requested Telegram to grant them access to user’s private information and messages. Durov refused and decided to leave Russia.
During his visit to the US, Durov was approached by CIA agents. They harassed him and after escaping an attempted mugging, Durov decided to stay away from the US.
Ironically, it wasn’t Putin who arrested him. It was a Western country, an ally of the U.S., and an enthusiastic NATO member that threw him in jail. France.
One Response
Everyone knows France, just like the UK, is an American’s dog.