The Russian-born billionaire said that his mission in life is to allow other people to become ‘free’.
France does not agree, threatening him with 20 years in jail over alleged offences.
Update:
Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old CEO and founder of the encrypted social media app Telegram, has been detained in France.
He was arrested at Le Bourget airport after disembarking from his private jet.
Previously, the tech billionaire and free speech advocate was said to avoid France and other nations where his social media app was restricted. It is unclear why he decided to land in France on this occasion.
Durov is Russian-born (Leningrad), but following a fallout with the Putin-led regime over political censorship, he has since based himself in Dubai. He is estimated to be worth around US$15 billion. He is also sometimes referred to as the ‘Mark Zuckerberg’ of Russia.
It has been reported in France that Durov faces 20 years in jail. The nature of the accusations have come under widespread concern and scrutiny.
Essentially, it is being claimed that because Telegram does not moderate content in the way France would like, and does not include specific tools for police cooperation, the founder is potentially ‘complicit’ in various offences alleged to have occurred on the platform.
A warrant was put out on Durov by the National Directorate of the French Judicial Police relating to what they referred to as a ‘preliminary investigation’.
Given the secretive and secure nature of Telegram, authorities claim it has become a hive for dubious activity. However, liberation movements also use encrypted platforms, such as Telegram, to hide from authoritarian governments. This is often frequently overlooked when it comes to political criticism of platforms like Telegram by governments interested in censorship legislation. Continue reading Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested in France

























