Telegram Founder Pavel Durov’s Arrest Sparks Russian Outrage Over ‘Western Double Standards
Daniel Kim Views
Russia strongly criticized the arrest of Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old founder and CEO of Telegram, calling it an example of “the West’s double standards.”
In an interview with the Russian media outlet RT, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, questioned whether the 28 NGOs that condemned Russia’s decision to block Telegram in 2018 would now protest in France or remain silent.
She emphasized that organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, and Reporters Without Borders had previously called on Russia to cease its interference with Telegram, advocating for the right to post and access information anonymously online.
Zakharova stressed that despite Durov’s legal issues in Russia, he could continue developing Telegram. She argued that France’s actions against him were excessively oppressive.
Durov, originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, holds dual citizenship in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and France and was arrested in France on Saturday. He is accused of failing to take measures to prevent the misuse of Telegram for criminal activities.
After clashing with the Russian government over user data, Durov left Russia in 2014 and relocated to the UAE. He acquired French citizenship in 2021.
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