Edward Snowden, Elon Musk, other tech leaders condemn arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov

As of August 25, Durov was ranked the 120th richest person in the world, and in 2022, he was recognized by Forbes as the richest expatriate in the UAE.

Edward Snowden, the former NSA whistleblower, has criticised the arrest of Telegram Founder Pavel Durov, calling it an “assault on the basic human rights of speech and association.” Snowden, who was granted Russian citizenship last year, expressed his views on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that the arrest tarnishes the global reputation of France.

“The arrest of @Durov is an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. I am surprised and deeply saddened that (French President Emmanuel) Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world,” Snowden posted.

The arrest of @Durov is an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. I am surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world.

Edward Snowden (@Snowden) August 25, 2024

Durov, 39, was detained after his private jet landed at Le Bourget Airport in France. The arrest, which is based on a warrant, relates to offences allegedly associated with Telegram, a popular messaging app known for its end-to-end encryption. Durov, who founded Telegram in 2013, left Russia in 2014 after resisting government pressure to shut down opposition groups on his VKontakte social media platform. He now resides in Dubai and holds dual citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

American entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan also condemned the arrest, arguing that the French government's actions are more about control than crime prevention. He highlighted the impracticality of expecting Durov to manage crime among Telegram's vast user base while the French government struggles with crime within its own population.

The arrest of @Durov is an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. I am surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world. Edward Snowden (@Snowden) August 25, 2024

“France doesn't care about crime, they care about control. Is Macron held personally responsible for every crime in France? No. So why is Durov expected to manage every action on Telegram?” Srinivasan tweeted.

Other prominent figures in the tech industry weighed in on the situation. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, tweeted, “It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme,” hinting at concerns over increasing censorship.

The arrest of @Durov is an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. I am surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world.

Edward Snowden (@Snowden) August 25, 2024

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin also expressed his worries, noting that while he has criticized Telegram's approach to encryption before, the arrest raises serious concerns about the future of communication freedom in Europe.

I've criticized Telegram before for not being serious with encryption.But (given the info available so far: the charge seems to be just being "unmoderated" and not giving up people's data), this looks very bad and worrying for the future of software and comms freedom in Europe. vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) August 25, 2024

David Sacks, general partner at Craft Ventures, compared the situation to the controversial practice of rendition, tweeting, “Using allied countries to circumvent First Amendment protections is the new Rendition.” Paul Graham, a noted computer scientist and writer, commented on the potential impact of Durov's arrest on France's reputation as a startup hub.

Using allied countries to circumvent First Amendment protections is the new Rendition.

David Sacks (@DavidSacks) August 24, 2024

As of August 25, Durov was ranked the 120th richest person in the world, and in 2022, he was recognized by Forbes as the richest expatriate in the UAE. Durov was scheduled to appear in court on Sunday, where he faces potential charges that could lead to a prison sentence of up to 20 years. Telegram has yet to comment on the arrest, while Russia's embassy in France is reportedly taking steps to address the situation.

Telegram is widely used for its end-to-end encrypted messaging service and allows users to create channels for disseminating information quickly to large audiences.