Moscow Responds to International NGOs Regarding Arrest of Telegram's Founder
In light of Telegram's legal troubles in Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman highlighted that the platform's founder, Pavel Durov, was not apprehended. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova questioned whether international human rights organizations would exert pressure on France following the arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov. This inquiry comes in light of the strong criticism these groups directed at Russia several years ago in response to its attempts to regulate the messaging app.
According to French media reports, Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur, 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 for Durov, citing that insufficient moderation on Telegram has allowed it to become a platform for criminal activity.
In a message posted on Telegram, Zakharova referenced an event from 2018 when a coalition of 28 NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, and Reporters Without Borders, condemned a Russian court's decision to block Telegram within the country. The organizations had called on Moscow to “stop creating obstacles to Telegram’s operations” and to ensure the rights of users to publish and access information online anonymously.
She noted that these NGOs urged various international bodies, including the UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, and the EU, to oppose Russia’s actions and to protect fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and privacy.
Zakharova reminded the groups that Moscow had encountered legal challenges with Telegram over encryption system technicalities, similar to issues faced by many other countries. “Meanwhile, Durov remained free all this time, continuing to develop Telegram,” she emphasized.
She posed a question to her audience: "What do you think, will they [the NGOs] appeal to Paris this time and demand Durov’s release, or will they swallow their tongues?”
In Russia, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) have been blocked by court order following the tensions between Moscow and Kiev that escalated in February 2022, but Telegram continues to operate within the country.
Additionally, Vladislav Davankov, the deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, previously urged France to release Durov, asserting that his arrest “could be politically motivated and used to gain access to the personal information of Telegram users,” which he stated Moscow cannot permit.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to French media reports, Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur, 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 for Durov, citing that insufficient moderation on Telegram has allowed it to become a platform for criminal activity.
In a message posted on Telegram, Zakharova referenced an event from 2018 when a coalition of 28 NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, and Reporters Without Borders, condemned a Russian court's decision to block Telegram within the country. The organizations had called on Moscow to “stop creating obstacles to Telegram’s operations” and to ensure the rights of users to publish and access information online anonymously.
She noted that these NGOs urged various international bodies, including the UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, and the EU, to oppose Russia’s actions and to protect fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and privacy.
Zakharova reminded the groups that Moscow had encountered legal challenges with Telegram over encryption system technicalities, similar to issues faced by many other countries. “Meanwhile, Durov remained free all this time, continuing to develop Telegram,” she emphasized.
She posed a question to her audience: "What do you think, will they [the NGOs] appeal to Paris this time and demand Durov’s release, or will they swallow their tongues?”
In Russia, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) have been blocked by court order following the tensions between Moscow and Kiev that escalated in February 2022, but Telegram continues to operate within the country.
Additionally, Vladislav Davankov, the deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, previously urged France to release Durov, asserting that his arrest “could be politically motivated and used to gain access to the personal information of Telegram users,” which he stated Moscow cannot permit.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
