- President Macron asserts that the apprehension of the CEO of Telegram was not driven by political motives.
- The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Russia and France in the context of cybersecurity and political affairs.
The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office has released a statement outlining the formal charges against Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram. This judicial investigation commenced on July 8, 2024, following an initial inquiry conducted by the Fight against Cybercrime Unit (JUNALCO). The release details several serious allegations against an unnamed individual, with Durov, who was apprehended over the weekend, being accused of facilitating these activities via the Telegram platform.
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The allegations against Durov encompass complicity in the operation of an online platform that facilitates illegal transactions within an organized group; failure to provide essential information for legal surveillance; involvement in the possession and distribution of child pornography within an organized group; and provision of tools for unauthorized access to automated data processing systems. Additionally, he faces charges related to criminal association for various offenses, including complicity in drug trafficking, organized fraud, and money laundering linked to organized crime.
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Furthermore, Durov is charged with offering “cryptology” services without the necessary certification, along with an additional charge for the “importation of cryptology tools” without prior declaration.
The prosecutor’s office has indicated that Durov’s detention, which commenced on August 24, may extend for a maximum of 96 hours, concluding on August 28, in accordance with the procedures related to organized crime offenses.
In response to the allegations, Telegram issued a statement affirming its adherence to European Union regulations and characterizing the claims as baseless. The company highlighted that Durov has “nothing to hide” and condemned the idea that either the platform or its founder should bear responsibility for the potential misuse of the service by certain users.
The arrest and ensuing charges have elicited a range of reactions from different stakeholders. Leaders in technology and advocates for privacy have voiced their concerns regarding the implications of this incident for digital communication platforms and user privacy, fearing it may establish a troubling precedent for governmental actions against tech leaders in the future, which raises alarms about potential overreach. Conversely, critics of Telegram contend that the platform’s lax moderation policies have facilitated various unlawful activities.
President Macron stated that the arrest of Durov was not politically motivated
French President Emmanuel Macron found himself in a position of defense as the backlash to the arrest intensified. In a statement issued on August 26, Macron sought to alleviate the rising international apprehension by claiming that the arrest of Durov was devoid of political motives. The French President underscored his country’s dedication to upholding freedom of speech and expression, asserting that the matter would be addressed by France’s independent judicial system.
Nevertheless, Macron’s assurances did little to mitigate the wave of criticism that followed. Members of the cryptocurrency community and advocates for free speech united in support of Durov. Gabor Gurbacs, the former director of digital asset strategy at VanEck, notably challenged the French government’s stance:
“You arrest the guy then see if he did something wrong? Is this the ‘rule of law’ and ‘freedom of expression’ you are talking about?”
The demand for Durov’s release intensified as a chorus of voices emerged, including prominent figures like Elon Musk, who contributed to the escalating protest by sharing a #FreePavel video on X. Additionally, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, expressed his apprehensions regarding the situation.
“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,” Buterin said on X, responding to a post from Balaji Srinivasan.
French government websites are currently experiencing cyberattacks
On August 26, it was reported that several prominent French government websites had become inaccessible, indicating a possible denial of service (DDoS) attack. Among the sites impacted were the Administrative Court of Paris, the official website of the French Health Department, and the webpage of the Court of Cassation. Users attempting to access these sites encountered alerts regarding insecure connections, prompting widespread speculation regarding the scale and source of the attack.
Preliminary analyses from Entropia Intel indicated that these cyberattacks might have been triggered by the arrest of Durov on August 24 at Le Bourget airport, located near Paris. The correlation between the timing of the arrest and the targeted websites lent credence to this hypothesis, with Russian hacker or “hacktivist” groups being identified as possible perpetrators.
Durov, recognized as the creator of VK, the largest social media platform in Russia, has a notable track record of opposing governmental demands for access to user data. In 2013, he launched Telegram, a platform dedicated to upholding free speech and safeguarding privacy, which has garnered significant popularity among cryptocurrency advocates and users who prioritize privacy on a global scale.
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