Moscow Criticizes Western Human Rights Organizations for Response to Durov Arrest
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman highlighted that despite Telegram facing legal challenges in Russia, its founder Pavel Durov managed to stay free. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has questioned whether international human rights organizations will exert pressure on France following the arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov. This inquiry comes in light of severe criticism directed at Russia a few years ago when the country attempted to regulate the messaging app’s activities.
Durov was detained at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday and is scheduled to appear in court on Sunday evening. French authorities reportedly issued an arrest warrant, claiming that Telegram's insufficient moderation allows it to be exploited by criminals.
In her Sunday Telegram post, Zakharova recalled a 2018 incident when 28 NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, and Reporters Without Borders, condemned a Russian court's ruling that led to the blocking of Telegram in the country.
At that time, these organizations demanded that Moscow “stop creating obstacles to Telegram’s operations” and protect users' rights to publish and access information anonymously online, she noted.
They urged the UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe), the EU, the US, and other governments to counteract Russia's actions and safeguard fundamental rights concerning freedom of expression and privacy, Zakharova highlighted.
She reminded the NGOs that Moscow faced its own legal challenges regarding Telegram's encryption system, similar to those encountered by many other nations. “Meanwhile, Durov remained free all this time, continuing to develop Telegram,” she emphasized.
"What do you think, will they [the NGOs] appeal to Paris this time and demand Durov’s release, or will they swallow their tongues?” she challenged her audience.
Following the escalation of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev in February 2022, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) were blocked by court order in Russia, but Telegram continues to operate within the country.
Earlier, Vladislav Davankov, deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, urged France to release Durov, suggesting that the tech entrepreneur's arrest “could be politically motivated and used to gain access to the personal information of Telegram users,” which Moscow would not accept, he stated on Telegram.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
Durov was detained at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday and is scheduled to appear in court on Sunday evening. French authorities reportedly issued an arrest warrant, claiming that Telegram's insufficient moderation allows it to be exploited by criminals.
In her Sunday Telegram post, Zakharova recalled a 2018 incident when 28 NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, and Reporters Without Borders, condemned a Russian court's ruling that led to the blocking of Telegram in the country.
At that time, these organizations demanded that Moscow “stop creating obstacles to Telegram’s operations” and protect users' rights to publish and access information anonymously online, she noted.
They urged the UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe), the EU, the US, and other governments to counteract Russia's actions and safeguard fundamental rights concerning freedom of expression and privacy, Zakharova highlighted.
She reminded the NGOs that Moscow faced its own legal challenges regarding Telegram's encryption system, similar to those encountered by many other nations. “Meanwhile, Durov remained free all this time, continuing to develop Telegram,” she emphasized.
"What do you think, will they [the NGOs] appeal to Paris this time and demand Durov’s release, or will they swallow their tongues?” she challenged her audience.
Following the escalation of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev in February 2022, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) were blocked by court order in Russia, but Telegram continues to operate within the country.
Earlier, Vladislav Davankov, deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, urged France to release Durov, suggesting that the tech entrepreneur's arrest “could be politically motivated and used to gain access to the personal information of Telegram users,” which Moscow would not accept, he stated on Telegram.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
