Tracking the Arrest of the Telegram Founder
The founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging app Telegram was arrested at a French airport this Saturday evening. Opinions from various parties are mixed, and how the situation will develop remains to be seen. This topic will continue to follow the subsequent developments of the event.
23:21 TON: Confirm that Pavel Durov's passport has been returned, supporting him in defending freedom of speech and online privacy rights
ChainCatcher message, the official TON account posted on social media, "The TON Foundation celebrates Pavel Durov's passport being returned. The TON Foundation is pleased to learn that the French authorities have returned Pavel Durov's passport to him, allowing him to leave the country freely. This news marks an important resolution moment. Telegram has nearly 1 billion users worldwide, representing a global movement dedicated to communication freedom and the inalienable right to privacy. As part of the decentralized TON community, we stand with Pavel in supporting his unwavering defense of freedom of speech and online privacy rights.Our commitment to these fundamental principles remains steadfast. We firmly believe that blockchain is a technology of freedom, an innovative tool that can change the way we protect personal rights— we are proud to be part of an ecosystem that empowers individuals with the freedom and security to communicate.We extend our deepest gratitude to our community, the broader tech industry, and all the advocates of freedom of speech who loudly support Pavel Durov."
22:14 Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been granted permission to leave France and return to Dubai
ChainCatcher news, according to a report by Cointelegraph citing AFP, the founder of the instant messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, has been granted permission by a French court to leave France and has now returned to Dubai.The report states that Durov received approval from the French court on March 13 to travel to Dubai. AFP quoted unnamed sources saying, "Durov left France this morning," adding that he departed with the authorities' approval.The specific terms of the court's decision are currently unclear, and neither Durov nor his legal team has made a public statement regarding the matter.
18:37 Telegram CEO: Shocked by the sudden arrest without warning, French authorities have always had multiple ways to contact Telegram
ChainCatcher news, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov posted on X: "Last month, after arriving in Paris, I was interrogated by the police for four days. I was told that I might be held personally responsible for the illegal use of Telegram by others, as the French authorities had not received a response from Telegram. This is surprising for the following reasons:Telegram has an official representative in the EU responsible for receiving and responding to EU requests. Its email address is publicly available, and anyone within the EU can find the Telegram EU law enforcement address by searching on Google.The French authorities have multiple ways to contact me for assistance. As a French citizen, I am a frequent visitor to the French consulate in Dubai. Not long ago, at their request, I personally helped them establish a hotline with Telegram to address the threat of terrorism in France.If a country is dissatisfied with an internet service, the usual practice is to file a legal lawsuit against the service itself. Using laws from before the smartphone era to accuse a CEO of third-party crimes committed on the platform he manages is a simplistic approach. Developing technological means is already challenging enough. If innovators know they might be held personally responsible for the potential misuse of these tools, they will not develop new tools."
14:10 Telegram founder speaks out for the first time after being arrested: We are not here to make money, but to defend people's basic rights
Pavel Durov was informed that he might have to bear personal responsibility for the illegal use of Telegram by others, as the French authorities did not receive a response from Telegram.
08:15 Pavel Durov responded to the arrest incident in France, stating that he is prepared to exit markets that are incompatible with the principles of his platform
ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov spoke out for the first time on the Telegram platform after being arrested in France. He not only denied the reasons for his arrest but also stated his readiness to exit markets that are incompatible with Telegram's principles.Durov emphasized, "If we cannot reach an agreement with the regulators of a country on the balance of privacy and security, we are ready to leave that country at any time. We have done this multiple times." He cited examples of Russia and Iran. "We are prepared to leave markets that are incompatible with our principles because we are not in it for the money. Our motivation is to bring benefits to people and defend fundamental rights, especially where those rights are being violated."Previously, it was reported that Durov was arrested at a Paris airport and subsequently charged by a French court. The charges include "aiding the dissemination of child sexual images and other crimes, such as drug trafficking on messaging applications." This arrest is part of a broader cybercrime investigation involving allegations that Telegram has facilitated money laundering, child pornography, and drug trafficking through its encrypted tools and services. French authorities have released Durov but required him to accept "judicial supervision," meaning the Telegram founder must remain in France.
23:06 After the arrest of the Telegram founder, the Russian public is concerned about losing their "main source of information."
ChainCatcher news, according to Fortune, the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France has raised concerns among the Russian public.Since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Telegram has become one of the few uncensored sources of information in Russia. According to Mediascope research, Telegram has become the fourth most popular online service in Russia. Political scientist Tatiana Stanovaya stated that Telegram has now become the "main source of information" for those seeking independent viewpoints.However, Durov has been prosecuted for failing to curb extremism and illegal content on the platform; although he has been released on bail, he is not allowed to leave France. Additionally, the European Commission is investigating whether Telegram needs to comply with stricter regulations.
20:26 Musk considers limiting travel destinations due to the arrest of the Telegram CEO
ChainCatcher message, according to Business Insider, Elon Musk stated that he might limit his travels to countries where only constitutional protection for freedom of speech exists due to the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France. Durov's arrest has sparked discussions about freedom of speech and platform responsibility, which Musk expressed concern over, criticizing the arrest as an infringement on freedom of speech. French President Macron stated that Durov's arrest was not a political decision, and France remains committed to protecting freedom of speech.
14:48 The Ton community's digital resistance movement has garnered 4 million signatures on an open letter
ChainCatcher news, according to the official TON TG channel, the Ton community's digital resistance movement has had 4 million people sign the open letter.The TON community stated: "Pavel Durov has been released. This is an important milestone, and the TON Association will continue to support him until he achieves complete freedom. Technology is not a crime and must never be prosecuted."Previous news, the Ton community initiated a movement to support the Telegram CEO, calling on community members to change their social media profile pictures to participate.
08:13 French President Macron: I was not aware of Pavel Durov's arrival in France and have no plans to meet with him
ChainCatcher news, French President Emmanuel Macron held a press conference during his diplomatic visit to Serbia. In a televised broadcast of the visit, the French leader told reporters that he did not invite Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov to France and was unaware of his plans to come to France.According to the translated version of Macron's response, the French president said: "As far as I am concerned, I am completely unaware that Mr. Pavel Durov would come to France. This is quite normal, as I do not know about people coming to France from all over the world, regardless of whether they hold French nationality."The French president then reiterated that Pavel Durov's case would be handled by "the independent actions of the French judicial system." France faces widespread opposition from the international community over the decision to arrest Durov, while Macron insists that the decision to detain the tech entrepreneur was not politically motivated.Previous news reported that, according to sources from the French newspaper Canard Chain de l'Elysée, Telegram founder Durov informed the police that he was supposed to have dinner with President Macron on the day of his arrest.
22:30 Latest developments on the arrest of the Telegram founder: placed under "house arrest" in France, could face up to 10 years in prison
The arrest of the founder has sparked widespread discussion online. Whose interests has Telegram actually violated?
