Why Pavel Durov's arrest sparked a global debate on free speech
The Telegram CEO's unprecedented arrest in France comes at a time of rising concerns over censorship and increasing government oversight of online content
In 2006, a 21-year-old graduate of Saint Petersburg State University launched Vkontakte (VK), a social media site catering to Russian-language users. The platform gradually gained traction among Russian users, crossing 1 million users by July 2007. However, a few years later, Pavel Durov's creation would lead to his first run-in with the law.
Durov refused to accede to government demands to shut down groups critical of the Russian establishment on VK and to hand over user data to Russia’s security services. This included a demand to block the account of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Under pressure from the authorities, he sold his shares in VK and left the country in 2014.
“I would rather be free than to take orders from anyone," Durov later told journalist Tucker Carlson about his exit from Russia.
This early instance of Durov’s refusal to yield to authorities is now eerily mirrored in his latest run-in with the law. In a move that sparked a wave of support for Durov and condemnation of French authorities across social media, the French police detained the Telegram CEO on August 24 at the Le Bourget airport after he arrived from Azerbaijan. The 39-year-old Russian billionaire was placed under arrest for failing to curb the misuse of his platform for alleged criminal activities.
Why is there a wave of support for Durov?
Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk defended Durov, choosing to illustrate his arrest by saying, “POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme.” Musk has expressed concerns regarding the state of free speech in European countries. To be sure, Musk is in a contentious equation with the European Union, which is probing X regarding alleged violations of the Digital Services Act and the EU’s rules in areas including countering illegal content and disinformation.
Among the wave of support for Durov, NSA whistleblower and online free speech advocate Edward Snowden’s solidarity with the Telegram CEO resonated widely. Snowden criticised the French government for Durov’s arrest, terming it as, “an assault on basic human rights of speech and association.” Targeting French president Emmanuel Macron, Snowden claimed that Durov’s arrest was an attempt to “gain access to private communications.”
Macron himself would address the allegations of political interference in a tweet where he stated that the arrest was “in no way a political decision.” In a bid to counter the wave of criticism directed at him and the French government, Macron said, “France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so.”
Hashtags such as #FreePavel and #Durov were used by social media users to advocate support for the detained Telegram CEO.
Durov has widely been seen as a figure advocating for free speech amid the evolving landscape of online regulations across the world. His sentiments regarding free speech are echoed through a post on Instagram from 2018, showing Durov riding a horse in the desert.
The post is captioned, “To be truly free, you should be ready to risk everything for freedom.”
The Telegram CEO’s advocacy for free speech is coupled with his cautious approach regarding authorities. He developed Telegram in a bid to circumvent governmental oversight after Russian authorities reportedly showed up at his residence. Since fleeing Russia, he has secured French citizenship and also become a naturalised United Arab Emirates citizen. With Telegram headquartered in Dubai, he’s known to visit Barcelona, Bali, and Spain and moves locations every few months.
Durov’s arrest comes at a time of rising concerns over censorship and increasing government oversight of online content across the world. In India, the ministry of information and broadcasting recently withdrew a draft of the broadcasting services bill after facing criticism from content creators and free speech advocates, who claimed that the government was attempting to exert greater control over online content.
Why was Durov detained?
French authorities have held Durov as part of an investigation started last month. The prosecutors have noted Telegram’s failure to cooperate with law enforcement on issues such as illegal transactions, drug trafficking, child pornography and online fraud.
In a statement providing reasons for Durov’s arrest, the French public prosecutor’s office noted that Durov has been held "complicit" for “enabling illegal transactions in an organised group”, refusing to "communicate documents necessary for carrying out and operating interceptions allowed by law”, and “possessing pornographic images of minors”. The tech leader has also been charged with the alleged distribution of narcotic substances, “organised fraud”, and laundering of funds for the aforementioned “organised group.”
Telegram issued a statement in response to the arrest, highlighting that the platform abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act and that its moderation is “constantly improving.”
In a scathing remark directed at French authorities, the company also noted, “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of that platform.”
While the arrest of a major tech leader is unprecedented both in Europe and across the world, concerns surrounding alleged criminal content on Telegram are widespread.
The messaging app has risen in popularity due to its unique functions such as the unrestricted sharing of large files, links and bots that can interact with users, and large groups with a limit of 200,000 members. Coupled with the minimal moderation on Telegram, it has been used by narcotics sellers, terrorist organisations, weapons dealers and extremist groups as a means to communicate and organise, putting it under the scanner of several law enforcement agencies around the world.
In India, Telegram has reportedly drawn the attention of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the ministry of home affairs and the ministry of electronics and information technology. Government officials are reportedly set to investigate the platform over concerns that it is being used for activities such as extortion and gambling.
As for Durov, even though the date of his release seems unclear, the arrest has made him a figurehead of free speech in the eyes of many in the online space.