From Russia to Elon Musk to Edward Snowden, many supporters for Pavel Durov

Almost the entire Russian political world, as well as defenders of freedom of expression, are calling for the release of the Franco-Russian billionaire arrested in France.

The arrest of Pavel Durov in Paris has sparked a wave of solidarity. In Russia, Moscow is amused by the outcry that the Russian authorities’ attempt to block Telegram between 2018 and 2020 had provoked in the West, and is denouncing “a liberticidal France which is turning into a liberal dictatorship”. Freedom of expression advocates also support the Telegram founder and condemn his arrest in France.

While Telegram is one of the most used social networks in Russia, activists from the New People party are dropping paper planes, in reference to the Telegram logo, in front of the French embassy in Moscow to show their support for Pavel Durov. For Senator Alexei Pushkov, the arrest of the Franco-Russian billionaire is the product “of a liberal dictatorship that does not tolerate loners who claim freedom and do not respect its rules”. MP Andrei Svintsov believes that Pavel Durov’s arrest was due to the fact that “Telegram poses a great threat to the globalist government that wants to silence anyone who can reach it”.

Almost the entire Russian political world is defending the Franco-Russian billionaire, even though he has had some difficulties with the authorities of his home country in the past. This is an opportunity for Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to once again denounce Western double standards. In 2018, the decision of a Russian court to block Telegram, never fully implemented, was condemned by many international human rights NGOs.

Maria Zakharova wonders whether these 26 Western NGOs, defending the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and privacy, will be as harsh towards the French authorities. “Now? Today? Tomorrow? Will they start similar actions in support of Telegram, in support of its creator?” she asks. Moscow also accuses Paris of not cooperating in granting consular access to the Franco-Russian billionaire, while the French authorities consider his French citizenship as the main reason for opposing it.

Pavel Durov’s arrest also sparked a number of reactions internationally among freedom of expression advocates. Elon Musk published “#FreePavel” on its X platform, as well as another message, in French: “Freedom. Freedom! Freedom?” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the former independent candidate for the US presidency who has just rallied to Donald Trump, stated on X that “The need to protect freedom of expression has never been more urgent.”

Whistleblower Edward Snowden also defended the Telegram founder. “The arrest of Pavel Durov is an attack on fundamental human rights such as freedom of expression and association” he denounces in a message published on X. He said to himself “surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has stooped to the level of hostage-taking as a means of gaining access to private communications“.

This arrest “demeans not only France, but also the whole world”concludes Edward Snowden. The whistleblower is a refugee in Russia and has been naturalized Russian, after having revealed classified documents in 2013 to denounce the mass surveillance of the American and British intelligence agencies.