The arrest of Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the messaging app Telegram, in France has sparked a wave of international concern and allegations of political motives. Vyacheslav Volodin, the Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, claimed that the arrest was orchestrated by the United States, suggesting that President Joe Biden wants to gain control over Telegram ahead of the upcoming presidential election. Volodin did not provide any evidence to support this claim.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates, where Durov is a citizen and where Telegram is headquartered, has formally requested access to him, emphasizing the importance of providing him with consular services. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the welfare and interests of its citizens are of paramount importance.
Durov faces 12 serious charges in France, including complicity in illegal online transactions, unauthorized cryptology services, child pornography distribution, drug-related offenses, organized fraud, and money laundering.
The arrest has also raised concerns about the potential impact on free speech and the future of technology giants. Nigel Farage, a UK Member of Parliament and ally of former President Donald Trump, expressed apprehensions about the arrest, questioning if other tech leaders like Elon Musk could be next.
The arrest has significant implications for Russia, as Telegram is heavily relied upon by the Russian military for battlefield communication. A Russian military blogger described Durov’s detention as akin to arresting “the head of communication of the Russian army.”
The situation is seen as grave, with online prediction markets giving Durov a 29% chance of release in August. Telegram, with nearly 1 billion users, is a vital communication tool in Russia, Ukraine, and former Soviet Union republics.
Durov left Russia in 2014 after refusing to shut down opposition communities on the VKontakte social media platform, which he founded and later sold. The arrest of Durov adds another layer of complexity to the already tense geopolitical landscape, raising questions about the future of free speech and the potential influence of technology giants on global affairs.
