From RFK Jr. to Elon Musk, calls rise to free Telegram CEO Pavel Durov

As French judicial authorities extended the detention ofPavel Durov, the likes of Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. among others came out in support of the founder and Telegram CEO.

Musk was the first to come out in solidarity and posted an interview clip of Pavel with former Fox News anchor, Tucker Carlson wherein the Telegram boss talked about the US authorities wanting him to install a backdoor in the app which would allow the likes of the FBI, CIA and other security agencies to monitor the users.

Musk posted a #FreePavel hashtag and later wrote,"POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme."

#FreePavel
pic.twitter.com/B7AcJWswMs — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024

POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme https://t.co/OkZ6YS3u2P — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024

Musk also slammed Mark Zuckerberg by quote-posting a user who questioned why the Meta CEO had not been arrested for similar allegations as those faced by Durov.

“Because he already caved into censorship pressure. Instagram has a massive child exploitation problem, but no arrest for Zuck, as he censors free speech and gives governments backdoor access to user data," wrote Musk.

Watch |Telegram CEO Pavel Durov arrested in France

Meanwhile, RFK Jr. slammed the Emmanuel Macron government for attempting to curb free speech.

"France just arrested Pavel Durov, founder & CEO of the encrypted, uncensored Telegram platform. The need to protect free speech has never been more urgent," wrote RFK Jr.

France just arrested Pavel Durov, founder & CEO of the encrypted, uncensored Telegram platform. The need to protect free speech has never been more urgent. — Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) August 25, 2024

Why has Durov been arrested?

Durov was arrested byFrench authorities on Saturday evening (Aug 24) at Le Bourget airport near Paris when he was travelling from Azerbaijan on a private jet. He was arrested for Telegram failing to curb fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime, and promotion of terrorism on the messaging app.

After his arrest, Telegram issued a statement, statingDurov had "nothing to hide" despite the allegations suggesting otherwise.

"Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act -- its moderation is within industry standards," the company said in a statement published via the app.

"Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe.It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform."

With a net worth, estimated by Forbes, at $15.5 billion, Durov left Russia in 2014. His departure followed his refusal to comply with a Russian court order demanding access to Telegram’s encrypted messages.

In August 2021, Durov became a French citizen. He moved himself and Telegram to Dubai in 2017. Reports indicate that he has also acquired citizenship in the United Arab Emirates and St. Kitts and Nevis, a Caribbean nation.

(With inputs from agencies)