Kim Dotcom advocates for France boycott following Durov's arrest
Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom has called for a boycott of French products and has advised against traveling to the country. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The founder of Megaupload, Kim Dotcom, has called for a boycott of France following the recent arrest of Pavel Durov, the creator and CEO of Telegram, in Paris.
On Wednesday, Dotcom took to X to urge individuals to “boycott France until Pavel Durov is released,” emphasizing the importance of not purchasing French products or traveling to the country. “If you want to fight for free speech, this is the way,” he wrote.
Durov, a 39-year-old Russian entrepreneur, was detained on Saturday after arriving at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on a private jet. The Paris public prosecutor’s office has indicated that his arrest is part of a larger criminal investigation involving an unnamed individual, and his detention has been extended twice by a French judge.
Prosecutors have suggested that Durov, who also possesses citizenship from France, the UAE, and St Kitts and Nevis, could face a variety of charges, including complicity in drug dealing, money laundering, and facilitating the distribution of child pornography. These allegations are reportedly based on claims of inadequate moderation of Telegram and Durov’s inability to prevent misuse of the app by malicious users.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Durov’s detention is part of “an ongoing judicial investigation” and clarified that it was “in no way a political decision.”
Telegram has responded by asserting that the app “abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act,” and labeled the notion that the company or its owner is responsible for the platform's misuse as “absurd.”
Durov's unexpected arrest has ignited significant backlash against French authorities internationally. Figures such as billionaire Elon Musk, journalist Tucker Carlson, and Silicon Valley investor David Sacks have characterized the action as a direct affront to free speech.
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has further alleged that France is holding Durov “hostage” to gain access to the private communications of Telegram users, noting that the app has around one billion active users monthly worldwide.
In a prior discussion with Carlson, Durov had expressed his commitment to never surrendering user data to any authorities, including US intelligence, or integrating a surveillance “backdoor” into the app.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
On Wednesday, Dotcom took to X to urge individuals to “boycott France until Pavel Durov is released,” emphasizing the importance of not purchasing French products or traveling to the country. “If you want to fight for free speech, this is the way,” he wrote.
Durov, a 39-year-old Russian entrepreneur, was detained on Saturday after arriving at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on a private jet. The Paris public prosecutor’s office has indicated that his arrest is part of a larger criminal investigation involving an unnamed individual, and his detention has been extended twice by a French judge.
Prosecutors have suggested that Durov, who also possesses citizenship from France, the UAE, and St Kitts and Nevis, could face a variety of charges, including complicity in drug dealing, money laundering, and facilitating the distribution of child pornography. These allegations are reportedly based on claims of inadequate moderation of Telegram and Durov’s inability to prevent misuse of the app by malicious users.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Durov’s detention is part of “an ongoing judicial investigation” and clarified that it was “in no way a political decision.”
Telegram has responded by asserting that the app “abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act,” and labeled the notion that the company or its owner is responsible for the platform's misuse as “absurd.”
Durov's unexpected arrest has ignited significant backlash against French authorities internationally. Figures such as billionaire Elon Musk, journalist Tucker Carlson, and Silicon Valley investor David Sacks have characterized the action as a direct affront to free speech.
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has further alleged that France is holding Durov “hostage” to gain access to the private communications of Telegram users, noting that the app has around one billion active users monthly worldwide.
In a prior discussion with Carlson, Durov had expressed his commitment to never surrendering user data to any authorities, including US intelligence, or integrating a surveillance “backdoor” into the app.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
