On Sunday, the Telegram team responded to CEO Pavel Durov’s arrest in France by rejecting any blame directed at the platform or its owners for potential misuse.
They stated that “Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.” The statement also asserted that Durov has “nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe,” calling it “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”
The team also expressed their hope for a swift resolution to the matter.
The billionaire co-founder and CEO of Telegram was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday evening, according to TF1 TV. Durov, who was traveling from Azerbaijan on his private jet, was detained around 8 pm local time due to an outstanding arrest warrant in France.
The 39-year-old Russia-born entrepreneur has been residing in Dubai and holds dual citizenship in France and the UAE.
Former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden accused French President Emmanuel Macron of “taking” Telegram CEO Pavel Durov “hostage” to gain backdoor access to the messaging program.
Snowden stated on X that his arrest was “an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. I am surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world.”
The leader of France’s Les Patriotes party, Florian Philippot, blasted President Emmanual Macron’s government as one of “lunatics” after authorities arrested Durov.
According to Philippot, France offered “its tyrannical face to the world” after its detention of Durov, who added, “We should free ourselves from these lunatics.”
Source: alMayadeen
