Pavel Durov, Telegram’s co-founder and CEO, was reportedly arrested in France on Saturday, in accordance with an area media outlet. France’s Nationwide Anti-Fraud Workplace detained the 39-year-old entrepreneur after he landed within the nation on his personal jet from Azerbaijan.
The arrest stems from allegations involving unlawful actions on Telegram that the platform allegedly didn’t reasonable.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested in France
In accordance with French broadcaster TF1, Durov faces a number of costs, together with enabling terrorism, drug trafficking, and the sale of stolen items. The report means that these accusations are associated to Telegram’s reluctance to police content material shared by its customers. An unnamed investigator instructed TF1 that authorities will possible place Durov in pre-trial detention.
After the studies surfaced, The Open Community (TON) issued a press release on X however shunned sharing particular particulars in regards to the investigation.
“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 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 million,” the assertion learn.
Learn extra: What Are Telegram Mini Apps? A Information for Crypto Newcomers
Telegram’s consumer base has surged, lately surpassing 950 million customers, Durov introduced in July. The messenger’s surging recognition has drawn scrutiny from a number of European nations, together with France, on account of issues over safety and information breaches.
After the reported arrest of CEO Pavel Durov, a number of Russian officers swiftly condemned France’s actions, likening them to Moscow’s earlier efforts to manage Telegram. Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s consultant to worldwide organizations in Vienna, identified the irony, recalling related criticisms Moscow confronted when pressuring Durov in 2014 and trying to ban the platform in 2018.
“Some naive persons still don’t understand that if they play more or less visible role in international information space it is not safe for them to visit countries which move towards much more totalitarian societies,” Ulyanov commented.
Elon Musk additionally weighed in following studies of Durov’s detention. “It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme,” Musk posted, highlighting issues over free speech in an more and more regulated digital area.
Durov’s sudden journey to France has raised questions, as he usually avoids nations the place Telegram has encountered points. The arrest additionally brought about a pointy drop within the worth of Toncoin (TON), the cryptocurrency tied to The Open Community, which Telegram initially developed.
Learn extra: 6 Greatest Toncoin (TON) Wallets in 2024
For the reason that information broke, Toncoin’s value has plummeted by almost 15%, dropping from $6.80 to $5.76, in accordance with BeInCrypto information.
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