French authorities arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov because they want to shut down the censorship-free platform, Russia’s top human rights official, Tatyana Moskalkova, has said.
The Russian tech mogul – who is also a citizen of France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis – was arrested after his private jet landed at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday. The French authorities said an official statement would be made on Monday. Local media has reported that prosecutors believe Durov had failed to curb the use of his platform by criminals.
Writing on Telegram on Sunday, Moskalkova argued that “the real reason behind Pavel Durov’s arrest is an attempt to shut down Telegram, the platform where you can find the truth about world affairs.” The persecution of Durov angers “everyone who supports the freedom of speech and the creation of the multipolar world,” she added.
In a separate post, Moskalkova condemned Durov’s arrest as “another gross violation of freedom of speech.”
“It is another glaring example of double standards when it comes to the respect of fundamental human rights by countries that praise democracy but, in reality, are seeking to crush it,” she wrote. “Instead of fighting crime, discrimination, and other human rights violations, they want total control over expression of opinions.”
Moskalkova described Durov as a man who “created an easy-to-use, simple and accessible tool for communication between people all over the world, a channel for the rapid spread of information that is free from censorship.”
Telegram issued a statement on Sunday, saying the company complies with EU laws and content-moderation policies, adding that it is “absurd” to claim that Durov is responsible for the misuse of the platform by bad actors. Earlier this year, Telegram appointed a Belgian legal representative to ensure EU compliance.
Durov has consistently refused to provide user data to the authorities or install a surveillance “backdoor,” and has spoken publicly about the pressure he has faced from the US. He was also vocal about his disagreements with the Russian government, which contributed to his decision to leave Russia in the 2010s and move to the UAE.
Nevertheless, many Russian politicians condemned Durov’s arrest, with some suggesting that it could be politically motivated. Multiple public figures in the West, including journalist Tucker Carlson and entrepreneur Elon Musk, have also spoken out in defense of Durov.