Telegram founder faces up to 20 years in prison.. What’s happening?
Pavel Durov, the founder of the instant messaging app Telegram, was arrested at Paris Le Bourget airport as he stepped off a private jet. The businessman, a French citizen, could face charges of multiple crimes committed through Telegram.
Possible reasons for arrest include terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud, and child abuse content. However, some sources have suggested other reasons for arrest.
Why was Durov arrested?
American journalist Tucker Carlson believes that Durov’s arrest is a warning to those who refuse to “censor the truth at the behest of governments and intelligence agencies.”
Journalist Cyril Amorsky from LCI TV male The journalist said that Durov faces up to 20 years in prison in France for committing a crime. In addition, Durov cannot seek asylum in France because he is a citizen of this republic and is wanted only there. The journalist noted that the businessman may have made an unplanned stop in France due to fuel shortages.
Meanwhile, the Duma It has been explained. Businessman arrested for not cooperating with US authorities:
Durov has become a threat to US national security since he dared to challenge the dollar’s dominance and managed to interest major US investors in the “new generation of cryptocurrencies.”
State Duma Deputy Anton Gorelkin
Journalists from Al Sabah newspaper He believes The aim of arresting the founder of the Telegram application is to hide what is happening in Gaza, and the post claims that France will be followed by other countries that want to shut down anti-Zionist news channels that are not monitored by the Telegram application.
Commenting on Durov’s arrest, German parliament member Stefan Kötter said: Confirmed He added that this is a battle against the opposition, noting that German media often describe Telegram as a platform for right-wing extremists and conspiracy theorists.
Crypto Community Reactions
The Toncoin (TON) cryptocurrency fell by around 20% amid the arrest of the Telegram founder, dropping from $6.83 to $5.37. The coin later recovered slightly and is trading at $5.63 at the time of writing.
Many crypto industry players have supported Durov, and some of them even bought TON. Thus, the founder of DWF Labs, Andrey Grachev, Purchased TON tokens for $500,000 and said he would sell them when Durov launches. After Grachev, the Memeland project also started Purchased TON announced a $1 million grant to support Durov and promised not to sell it until he was released.
Things Foundation launched a fan token supporting Durov — Capybara Resistance (CPBR). Its market cap soared to several million dollars in the first minutes. The token grew by 300%
Billionaire Elon Musk Named Musk said the arrest of the Telegram founder was a compelling demonstration of the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech. He also posted a clip of Durov’s interview, in which the businessman discussed freedom of speech. Musk accompanied the video with the hashtag #FreePavel.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino believes Durov’s arrest is deeply concerning. “There will be tough times if we lose the battle for freedom of expression and communication.”
There is nothing to hide
Telegram Team Claims The group’s detained founder Pavel Durov “has nothing to hide.”
Telegram said its system complies with industry standards and is constantly being improved, adding that the platform complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act.
They also acknowledged that Durov’s arrest represents the most extreme national action against a social media leader, and threatens to inflame a global debate about whether platforms should prioritize online security or freedom of expression.
Community reacts to Durov’s arrest with memes
Despite the disappointment of Durov’s arrest, the community also responded with humor. Several memes about the arrest of the Telegram founder appeared on X:
Meanwhile, Durov’s merchandise began to appear on the Russian market.
What awaits Durov?
There are many messaging apps in the world where the same violations that occur in Telegram occur, but the owner of WhatsApp, Signal, Threema, or Discord has not been caught.
Meanwhile, Durov could be charged with terrorism, fraud and money laundering for refusing to cooperate with security forces; a hearing scheduled for August 25 has been postponed. Paris court judges need another 48 hours to draft the charges.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.