Tech Desk
Aug 25, 2024
Telegram Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pavel Durov was arrested at Bourget airport outside Paris on Saturday. The French authorities accused him of failing to moderate criminal content on his platform. Durov's lawyer called the arrest "absolutely ridiculous" and an attack on freedom of speech.
Telegram is a messaging app that allows groups of up to 200,000 members. It has been criticised for its weak moderation of extremist and illegal content.
However, Durov has always mentioned that he would never compromise on user privacy and freedom of speech.
Read more: Telegram rolls out view-once feature for voice, video messages
The arrest has sparked outrage among Russian officials and human rights activists. They see it as a double standard by the West, which has always preached about free speech and democracy.
Edward Snowden, the American whistleblower, called the arrest "an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association."
The French authorities have not been cooperating with Russian officials, and the Russian Embassy in France is seeking to clarify the reasons for Durov's detention.
The incident has raised questions about the future of Telegram and the implications for free speech online.
