- Durow's detention in Paris sparked discourse concerning Telegram's regulatory landscape
Pavel Durov, esteemed by his followers as the creator of the messaging service and communication network Telegram, is seen as akin to a revered figure, similar to a saint. The 39-year-old, living in Dubai and advocating for unyielding internet freedom in his rare public appearances and interviews, has been detained in Paris as part of a special operation, causing international uproar and sparking debates about Telegram.
The controversial social media platform, which is also utilized by criminals, now boasts nearly a billion users and is installed on hundreds of millions of mobile phones, extending its influence. Many view France's judicial proceedings against Durov as politically motivated.
French President Emmanuel Macron denies that the chase of the Russian billionaire is politically driven. Durov holds citizenships from Russia, France, and the United Arab Emirates. He has long been under surveillance by intelligence services in both the West and Russia. However, many view his detention due to Telegram's possible involvement in organized crime as an assault on fundamental freedoms.
Telegram is used as a free platform in dictatorships. In France, there are suspicions that Durov has willingly participated in drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud, and various offenses related to child abuse by failing to intervene in Telegram and providing insufficient cooperation with authorities. His inadequate cooperation with authorized surveillance measures is also criticized.
Many consider this a weak pretext to target Telegram overall. Particularly, opposition figures who use Telegram in dictatorships as the last free means of communication are shocked.
Russian opposition figure Ilya Yashin, who was recently released in a prisoner exchange, criticizes the charges against Durov from his German exile. He does not consider Durov a criminal and does not believe he is obligated to cooperate with French authorities. "A person has the right to refuse cooperation with intelligence services if they are not breaking the law themselves," he says. Yashin urged France to release Durov pending trial.
Telegram played a significant role in organizing mass protests in Belarus in 2020 against dictator Alexander Lukashenko. Durov made it possible for messages to be sent on Telegram despite severely limited mobile networks – where other networks failed.
Edward Snowden, the whistleblower pursued by the US and residing in Russia, expressed shock. The arrest of Durov is an attack on the fundamental human rights to free speech and assembly. "I'm surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has resorted to taking hostages to gain access to private communication," he wrote on the social network X. This is harmful to France and the world.
Telegram has long been criticized as a secretive platform, allowing criminals, including terrorists, drug dealers, and warmongers, to more freely organize than on other social networks. Durov left Russia years ago because he refused to cooperate with his home country's authorities. He reported in an interview about advances from intelligence services, for example in the US, and once complained that he does not feel free in the West.
Instead of settling in Germany after his departure from Russia, Dubai became his new home, where he transformed Telegram into a global force with a relatively small team. Telegram insists that the platform's owner cannot be held responsible for its misuse by third parties. Durov has nothing to hide, Telegram complies with EU laws, and moderates the network according to industry standards, the company stated.
Durov's supporters view the fit, self-reliant, and unconventional IT manager, who recently revealed that he is the biological father of over 100 children through sperm donation, as pivotal in the world of social networks, on par with the American Mark Zuckerberg, who controls Meta, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Durov gained fame as the founder of VK, a Facebook-like network, which he sold under pressure from Kremlin-linked forces and left the country.
The fact that the Western free world could now lead to Durov's downfall is causing surprise and satisfaction in his home country of Russia, which has often been criticized for repression, including against the media. Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, has mocked human rights organizations for years for warning Moscow not to block Telegram.
Both Kremlin opponents and supporters are calling for Durov's release. Russian military bloggers, who intensively use Telegram for the information war during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, are also surprised that France has taken action. Kremlin-linked forces suspect that the West is attempting to eliminate a highly talented Russian as competition for Western messaging services.
It is noteworthy that Kremlin supporters and opponents are united in their support for Durov's freedom, albeit for different reasons. While the majority of the divided liberal Russian opposition sees no evidence of Durov's possible Kremlin ties and considers Telegram a free platform, there are other voices.
Former chess world champion Garri Kasparov, one of the sharpest critics of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, suspects that the power apparatus has engaged with Durov. After attempts to block Telegram, the state, which Kasparov calls a "fascist aggressor," is now using the network more intensively than ever. The Kremlin has just denied rumors that Putin and Durov recently met in Azerbaijan.
Despite the differing opinions, France's action against the Telegram founder has already had one concrete consequence. The tech network portal TechCrunch reported a growing number of Telegram users since Durov's arrest. Not only in France, but also in other parts of the world, people are massively downloading the Telegram app.
Despite the international uproar and debates, the French judicial proceedings against Durov remain a point of controversy. The detained Telegram founder's supporters believe that his inadequate cooperation with authorized surveillance measures is being used as a weak pretext to target Telegram overall, especially in dictatorships where it serves as the last free means of communication.
