Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has been detained by authorities in France. The detention is connected to a search warrant alleging violations of the encrypted messaging platform.
French media, including Le Monde, reported that Durov was arrested upon arriving from Azerbaijan in his private jet at Le Bourget airport, situated north of Paris. Le Monde’s report, referencing sources familiar with the matter, confirmed Durov’s arrest.
Bloomberg also highlighted a Telegram post by Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman who verified the arrest, adding further validity to the story about the event.
Telegram CEO Under Investigation By French Authorities
French authorities have launched a preliminary investigation into Telegram, the popular messaging platform, with L’Office Mineurs (OFMIN), the agency responsible for monitoring crimes against minors, issuing a search warrant.
AFP claims that the probe covers a spectrum of claimed misdeeds, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, and organized crime activity enabled by the site. The examination results from worries about Telegram’s inadequate content control methods.
Office of Financial Market Integrity (OFMIN) is leading the inquiry against Durov. According to reports, Durov was supposed to appear in court on Aug. 25. Given the gravity of the charges committed, accusations against him might result in a 20-year jail sentence.
The Impact On TON
Third-party blockchain system TON, integrated with Telegram, continues to operate as usual despite Durov’s legal objections. A recent comment on TON’s official X account verified the protocol’s stability and underlined the encouraging reaction of its community under the current circumstances. Telegram has yet to mention the founder’s detention.
Statement from the TON Community
Following the recent news related to the Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov, we want to assure everyone that the TON community remains strong and fully operational.
As a community committed to freedom of speech and decentralization, we stand firmly…
— TON 💎 (@ton_blockchain) August 24, 2024
The platform added: “As a community committed to freedom of speech and decentralization, we stand firmly by Pavel during this challenging time. Pavel has been a dedicated advocate for these values, and we believe his efforts to promote an open and decentralized internet will continue to inspire millions.”
The Telegram-linked TON token experienced a sharp decline of up to 17% following reports of Durov’s arrest in France. As of the latest update, TON is trading slightly above $5.72, marking a 15% drop in just a few hours.
Community Reaction On Telegram CEO’s Arrest
On Aug. 24, Tesla CEO and X platform owner Elon Musk voiced his support for Durov by posting a past interview between Durov and independent journalist Tucker Carlson on his social media, accompanied by the hashtag #FreePavel.
#FreePavel
pic.twitter.com/B7AcJWswMs— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024
In a recent video statement, Durov praised Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, describing it as a beneficial move for technological advancement and the promotion of free speech.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin answered an X post by American entrepreneur and investor Balaji Srinivasan, addressing the issue further. While Buterin has publicly criticized Telegram’s encryption policies in the past, he voiced grave worries about the latest accusations against the site.
He underlined possible future consequences for the freedom of software and communication in Europe and defined the first elements as “very bad and worrying.” As the narrative started to take flight on social media, with Telegram trending on platform X, several eminent people provided their analysis.
Among them, Robert Kennedy Jr., the American politician who suspended his presidential campaign in August 2024, emphasized that Durov’s arrest underscored the critical importance of safeguarding platforms dedicated to free speech and privacy.
Featured image from DALL-E, Chart from TradingView