After weeks of silence, Pavel Durov, the mastermind behind Telegram, has addressed his recent arrest in France.
As per the latest crypto news, the Telegram founder has finally spoken out after his high-profile arrest this past August, breaking a month-long silence with a message to the public.
Expressing surprise at his arrest, Durov pointed to the fact that Telegram has a legal representative in France, responsible for handling all regulatory requests and inquiries, making the situation even more puzzling.
A French citizen himself, Durov mentioned that French authorities had several non-confrontational ways to reach him, noting that he’s a regular guest at the French Consulate in Dubai.
Durov didn’t hold back, stating that Telegram is fully prepared to exit markets where its mission of free speech and expression is at odds with local regulations.
He emphasized:
We are prepared to leave markets that aren’t compatible with our principles because we are not doing this for money. We are driven by the intention to bring good and defend the basic rights of people, particularly in places where these rights are violated.”
He also criticized France’s decision to target him personally rather than taking action against the company itself.
As per trending crypto news, French President Emmanuel Macron attempted to quell the outrage by stating that the arrest was not politically motivated, following Durov’s arrest.
However, his comments did little to stop the growing wave of international criticism, with many accusing French authorities of stifling free speech. Macron’s reaffirmation of France’s dedication to freedom of speech only intensified the backlash, drawing attention to the issue of censorship and sparking calls from the TON Society and industry leaders for Durov’s release.
The incident also prompted a strong response from Rumble founder and CEO, Chris Pavlovski, who fled Europe, warning that France had become unsafe for tech entrepreneurs focused on free speech.
After reaching safety, Pavlovski issued a public statement, accusing France of crossing a line with Durov’s arrest, allegedly for his refusal to censor content on Telegram. He vowed that Rumble would use all available resources to push back against these censorship efforts and to protect the universal right to free speech.
