Elon Musk Calls for Telegram Founder’s Release, Criticizes Zuckerberg
Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday. French authorities accuse him of insufficient moderation on Telegram, which they claim has facilitated illegal activities such as drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and terrorism. The arrest is part of a preliminary investigation, and Durov is expected to appear before a judge who will decide whether to release him or file formal charges. The Russian Embassy in Paris has criticized French authorities for not providing consular access or clarifying the reasons for the arrest.
Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), has called for Durov's release, describing the situation as indicative of "dangerous times" for free speech. Musk shared a video of Durov discussing online free speech and criticized the arrest as an overreach. The Russian Embassy is monitoring the situation but has not received an official request for assistance from Durov. Meanwhile, Telegram has issued a statement expressing support for Durov, condemning the idea that a platform's owner should be held responsible for its misuse. The arrest has led to a significant drop in the price of Ton, Telegram's cryptocurrency.