Elon Musk Urges To Free Telegram Chief Pavel Durov After His Arrest In Paris

X owner Elon Musk has come in support of Telegram chief Pavel Durov following his arrest and urged to free him.

According to French media, Durov, who holds dual French and Russian citizenship, could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

Source : X/@elonmusk , @dailymirror

The Telegram chief executive, Pavel Durov, was arrested by the French Police in Paris this morning, and the X owner, Elon Musk, has reacted to his arrest. Musk shared a snippet from one of Durov's interviews where he was talking about X. While sharing this snippet, Musk wrote, "#FreePavel." Durov was arrested at an airport north of Paris. He was detained as soon as his private jet landed at Le Bourget Airport and then soon got arrested under a warrant for offences related to Telegram.

According to Russia's TASS state news agency, the Russian embassy in France is taking "immediate steps" to clarify this situation.  

#FreePavel
pic.twitter.com/B7AcJWswMs

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024

Might Face Prison Tenure Of 20 Years

According to reports, Telegram founder Pavel Durov is scheduled to appear before a judge on Saturday evening, confronting a range of charges including terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering, and child abuse content. According to French media, Durov, who holds dual French and Russian citizenship, could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

Musk was surprised by the potential tenure of the punishment.

20 years … https://t.co/UknQRzqXw2

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024

According to one source, France’s OFMIN, which is responsible for preventing violence against minors, has issued an arrest warrant for Durov, reported news agency AFP. This action follows a preliminary investigation into alleged crimes such as fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime, and terrorism promotion. Durov is accused of not adequately addressing the misuse of his platform for criminal activities.

As per AFP, one of the investigators was surprised that Durov came to Paris while knowing that he was a wanted man. The investigator added, "Enough of Telegram's impunity."

How Has Telegram Maintained Its Stance Over Privacy?

The Dubai-based encrypted messaging app has marketed itself as an alternative to US-owned platforms, which face criticism for monetising users' personal data. Telegram has pledged to never share user information.

In an unusual April interview with right-wing host Tucker Carlson, Durov revealed that the idea for an encrypted messaging app emerged after he faced pressure from the Russian government while working at VK, a social network he founded before selling it and leaving Russia in 2014.

By operating from the United Arab Emirates, Telegram has managed to avoid the content moderation laws that Western countries are imposing on major platforms to combat illegal content.