Telegram CEO’s Arrest in France Sparks Backlash and Suspicion
Free speech is under attack worldwide by leftist regimes and the recent arrest of Pavel Durov, CEO of the messaging app Telegram, has raised serious concerns among free speech advocates across the globe.
Durov was arrested by French authorities late on Saturday (August 24) as he landed at Le Bourget airport outside Paris. Initially there was no reason provided for the arrest and till the time of this writing, Durov has not been charged with crimes. The arrest of the 39-year-old billionaire, who hails from Russia but has multiple citizenships including France’s, sparked an instant reaction from activists, journalists, and governments – all heavily critical of the French government.
The Russian government immediately contacted the left-wing Macron administration that arrested Durov and demanded protection of his rights while asking for consular access to Durov. ZeroHedge reported:
Russian diplomats say there has been no reply from Paris: “The French side has so far been avoiding cooperation on this issue,” a statement said. Russian lawmakers have gone so far as to say he is now a “political prisoner”.
Tucker Carlson, who interviewed Durov in April this year, reposted the video of his interview with the Telegram CEO on X (Twitter) and wrote that Durov had previously been harassed by the Russian government. Yet in the end, it was not Putin who arrested him but a NATO country that is an ally of the Biden administration.
Former National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden, who in 2013 exposed the Obama administration for illegally spying on American citizens, called the arrest of Durov “an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association” and added that such a move “lowers” France as well as the world.
Dr. Simone Gold, President of America’s Frontline Doctors, wrote on X that Durov was arrested “because he won’t cooperate with governments who want to spy on their citizens data and posts on Telegram.”
Unsurprisingly, leftist media came to the defense of the French authorities and attempted to disregard the concerns of Durov’s intimidation by the Macron administration over freedom of speech. Le Monde wrote on Monday (August 26) that Durov’s arrest is actually a “defense of the rule of law” and not an assault on free speech.
In the wake of Durov’s arrest in France, the CEO of the free-speech video-sharing platform Runble, Chris Pavlovski, fled Europe. As reported by Cointelegraph, Pavlovski was cited off his X post commenting on Durvo’s arrest with the news of a quick departure from Europe:
“I’m a little late to this, but for good reason — I’ve just safely departed from Europe… Rumble will not stand for this behavior and will use every legal means available to fight for freedom of expression, a universal human right. We are currently fighting in the courts of France, and we hope for Pavel Durov’s immediate release.”
Elon Musk reposted Pavlovski’s tweet while also sharing a short clip from Tucker Carlson’s interview with Durvo in which the Telegram CEO told that U.S. security agencies including the FBI kept tabs on his team when they visited America. Durov told that the US agencies tried to hire one of his engineers to let them provide the tools that would give the US government backdoor access to Telegram.
Many conservatives, commenting on the posts condemning Durov’s arrest, also expressed concern for the safety of Elon Musk and wrote that Musk could be their next target, some even suggesting that Musk should refrain from traveling to Europe for now.
Soon after the news of Durvo’s arrest broke on Saturday, Mike Benz, the founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for Freedom Online, posted his own video commentary on social media and shared that he believed the U.S. State Department was behind this affair and more.
There he goes again, protecting those Russians. With a little help from Tucker and Mush, breakfast of champions.
If it’s not American, it’s for The Dumpster.
So free speech doesn’t matter at all to you. The police and intelligence services should automatically have access to anything they want, and prevent you from saying things that are uncomfortable to the local government. Right? And of course if you talk about covid, or Hunter’s laptop, or anything that doesn’t support Ukraine, or even mention the riots in Great Britain right now, it is off to jail with you.
On a side note, the Russian did not arrest him, and they want him back safe and sound, because all telegram traffic goes through a server in Russia and the Russian can read 99% of it because encryption is not automatic. But that is besides the point…
Frank, where do you see Ernest Dempsy protecting Russians? You used the plural meaning you hate all Russians. HE mentioned the Russian government, especially when it was the French authorities that arrested Pavel. Please clarify this for the readers.
Did I say free speech did not matter to me? Your rant seems misplaced against my actual statements in ED’s story. I was pointing out that many of ED’s stories spin against the US in favor of known enemies, like the Russians. ED does this all the time and you obviously empower that. And this man is a Russian who makes his dime by providing a communication conduit amongst criminals, terrorists, and worst with little policing lest it stop his profit flow. I see no laudatory champion of free speech here. More like leveraging the dark side of free speech for personal profit and gain. But hey, Dempsey does not even broach that side of the story, does he. That would be pro-US to tell that truth with free speech.
To cast his dispersions and spin, Dempsey quotes Tucker, a known liar, Mush, a racist liar, and bitchute —- He actually quotes something from Bitchute as if it’s true and news. Bitchute also makes it’s living leveraging free speech advocacy against a litany of lies. Bitchute is known for hosting neo-Nazis, harmful conspiracy theories, and hate speech. This is not free speech, this is really bad journalism. Bitchute has a media bias rating “Overall, we rate BitChute extreme right and Questionable based on the promotion of conspiracy theories, propaganda, hate speech, poor sourcing, fake news, and a lack of transparency. This source is not credible for accurate information and may be offensive to some (most).”
It’s not that bitchute, tucker and mush should be banned, blocked or restricted, that’s another story as to what WE THE PEOPLE should do to liars, felons, and thieves. It’s that IF ED is going to run this shit, he should provide a wrapper of the speaker’s or site’s veracity. He should validate and verify the shit against other sources. Two or three at least, maybe more for the big stuff. He knows they lie, he’s a journalist and should have some professionalism, ethics, and skills, but he exhibits none and just runs the shit without second sourcing.
In a similar manner, he rejects telling the truth about the French and this man by sloughing it off with a “Unsurprisingly, leftist media came to the defense of the French authorities and attempted to disregard the concerns of Durov’s intimidation by the Macron administration over freedom of speech. Le Monde wrote on Monday (August 26) that Durov’s arrest is actually a “defense of the rule of law” and not an assault on free speech.” Gee, you think that’s all of it? Really? Again, there’s a whole other side of the story that ED spins out of control in the other direction to have the US use it’s power to protect a criminal Russian who leverages our free speech against us in criminal and terrorist acts.
Yeah, I got a problem with that kind of free speech, but I did not say that or anywhere near to it in my post. And even though some say I am a know-it-all, fact is I have no clue as to what to do without a trampling of rights. But it starts with holding people and companies responsible for words and deeds, and punishing those who knowingly lie. Not making them President or giving them a comfy living streaming, posting, and promulgating lies, some of which can kill. You, as a site owner, enable this and through your lack of action, empower it. I cannot say what to do; I just know that lies can hurt, lies can kill and letting known liars run amuck in your communications has downstream and unintended outcomes that can needlessly harm others. Physically as well as mentally. I wish I could say: do this to fix it. But I can’t. That does not mean I can’t say we have a huge problem here and touting the first amendment will not fix it.
So you have a guy who knowingly lies, often supports our enemies with his lies and there it tis.
Frank, the authors of all these articles have a right to say what they think when adding an article every day. Are you trying to make them take this site down and do your bidding? It sure the Hell looks like it. Why can’t an author publicize what they want? Do all past authors of books, pamphlets, articles, etc. have to now go back and edit their content because you do not like what they said? My God, you are getting out of hand. You are a pure unadulterated Dictator. You rarely say anything good to anyone else posting. Almost all of your posts show so much hate for human beings. You insult all the authors and many of the people that post. Did you make it your life’s mission to insult all the people you can? Do you want all of us to see your insulting rants that you show us?
I’m waiting for your next insult to me. Go ahead, I’m waiting. You definitely will not disappoint.
Frank, I wasn’t talking about free speech. Stop putting things in where it isn’t warranted. You do the “don’t look here, look over there” thing to try to redeem yourself. Busted! I do agree with your last large paragraph, though. Just not the one about the “lies” you said is being done.
AF; of course in America we have the first amendment, but you know that and you know that I know and support that. You hyperventilating and getting knicker-knotted seems for effect.
What you may not know, but might, is that the site owner can do whatever they want. He can take almost any actions for information provided on the site. This site does restrict some speech, song lyrics and I am sure some other things. But they are not transparent about. And as ”free speech extremists,” the site allow lies not only to be knowingly publish without even a footnote, much less a restriction —- even if repeated. That is a choice. And yes, I have an issue with lies, liars, and those who empower them mostly for the money with a nod to the first.
I really hate living in the tower of babel that we have created but, as I have always said, just like I said here, and just as I will repeat to you one more time:
“Yeah, I got a problem with that kind of free speech, but I did not say that or anywhere near to it in my post. And even though some say I am a know-it-all, fact is I have no clue as to what to do without a trampling of rights. But it starts with holding people and companies responsible for words and deeds, and punishing those who knowingly lie. Not making them President or giving them a comfy living streaming, posting, and promulgating lies, some of which can kill. You, as a site owner, enable this and through your lack of action, empower it. I cannot say what to do; I just know that lies can hurt, lies can kill and letting known liars run amuck in your communications has downstream and unintended outcomes that can needlessly harm others. Physically as well as mentally. I wish I could say: do this to fix it. But I can’t. That does not mean I can’t say we have a huge problem here and touting the first amendment will not fix it.”
I am sorry if that insults you. I don’t think it should, IMO.
Frank, it doesn’t insult me because I am used to your insults now. I do not own a site, where did you dream that one up? More lies from you? You said you hate lies, yet you do lie and often. I am not any site owner. Can’t you ever tell the truth?
In this thread, how did I insult you?
I never said YOU were a site owner. Is that your claim of insult?
You have yet to prove a lie; you say I am a frequent liar. Let’s see a few.
Yes, I usually tell the truth and most of the “lies” are misstatements or mistakes I am more than willing to own up to if pointed out. So. point some out.
Meanwhile, how many living dead have you identified based on a site that posts fake news hoping conservatives will repost it and spread the joke. Best part was that you outed yourself and then still doubled down in your conservative belief in liberal liars that post they are lying right on the site…. Priceless.
In your last large paragraph, you said to me: You, as a site owner. . . . . That was in the post you used my acronym AF. There was no other name there, so you definitely said I was a site owner. IT’s there in black and white for everyone to see. I never said in the same thread you insulted me – in that thread. You made that up! But, you are the most insulting low-class individual on this site. You love it. No matter what I try to say, you twist and turn it all around and I am sick to death of it and you. I am always wrong according to you. I always lie according to you. Because I am female you berate me. Yes, you do you bastard! So, big man, keep up with your filth and disgust, lies and torment. I will not take it from you anymore. Does that make you feel like a man? Are you proud of yourself? Would you parents or guardians be proud of you for you wanting to be the only person that is worth posting on any site at all? No one but Tom is allowed to post back to you, and you love him for it. You do need help immediately, This is my last post to your idiocy!
AF u are wrong. What I said (explains in parens) was: “What you (AF) may not know, but might, is that the site owner can do whatever they want. He (is AF a he now?) can take almost any actions for information provided on the site. This site does restrict some speech, song lyrics and I am sure some other things. But they are not transparent about. And as ”free speech extremists,” the site allow lies not only to be knowingly publish without even a footnote, much less a restriction —- even if repeated. That is a choice. And yes, I have an issue with lies, liars, and those who empower them mostly for the money with a nod to the first.”
I’d say apology accepted, but you can’t own up, can you?
FU Frankie!
Not in this one, but in other posts you might draw the conclusion that I am anti-free-speech, so I will pretend it’s the other posts where you are coming from in this one Joe.
On this post, and this man, ED tends to protect anything Russian putting in the extra spin to make his case against America. In this one, he suggests that the French arrest is our problem since a NATO ally of the Biden administration. Yes, France is in NATO, as are we, and NATO countries are our allies. But where in NATO is free speech a mandate? What do they have to do with each other or is ED spinning to slam the US for not defending a Russian nabbed in France? I mean if we are to step up for every country, in every arrest, because one of our Constitution rights is broken by an ally, in their country, we’re gonna need a bigger boat…… So, was the point free speech or slamming Biden for something France did? Legally in their country?
He then respectfully quotes Tucker, known liar. And then Mush, known weird racist type both of which hype free speech as they knowingly lie just to make a buck. And then bitchute which is known for frequent bouts of disinformation.
It’s the lack of ethics or professional journalism that’s the issue, not free speech. In my comments. I will cover free speech under your other rant-full treatise on the Alice version. More appropriate and on point there. For my words.