The UAE is closely monitoring the arrest of Pavel Durov, founder of messaging app Telegram, at Le Bourget Airport in France, and has requested urgent consular assistance from the French government for Durov, according to UAE’s news agency WAM.
Durov, a Russian-born billionaire, was detained on Saturday under a search warrant linked to alleged crimes on Telegram. French authorities accuse him of allowing his platform to facilitate money laundering, drug trafficking, and child exploitation due to insufficient content moderation.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Durov’s detention is part of an independent legal process and not politically motivated.
Macron emphasized that freedom of expression in France operates within legal boundaries to protect citizens.
Russia criticized the arrest as politically motivated, accusing the West of double standards on freedom of speech.
Meanwhile, fellow tech mogul Elon Musk called for Durov’s release, suggesting that the arrest suppresses free speech.
Telegram defended its practices, asserting compliance with EU regulations and industry-standard content moderation. The company emphasized that Durov, who is part French, frequently travels in Europe and “has nothing to hide.”
Former National Security Agency (NSA) employee and whistleblower Edward Snowden described Durov’s incarceration as “an assault” on free expression and a humiliation for France and the entire globe.
“Durov’s detention violates fundamental human rights to free expression and association… It lowers not only France but the entire world,” he said on X.
The arrest has sparked controversy, with concerns about its impact on freedom of speech.
Despite attempts to moderate content, Telegram struggles to address cybercrime effectively, with criminals evading detection through backup channels.
Critics argue that Telegram’s platform, while criticized for hosting illegal activities such as trading stolen data and selling fake IDs, contrasts with other platforms that censor free expression.
The popularity of Telegram has grown in several countries, including France and the United States, after the detention of Durov.
Telegram became the second app by downloads among social networks in the US App Store, while downloads for the iOS system edged up by 4% globally.