By detaining Pavel Durov, #France has shown that #Telegram is a reliable messenger in terms of security — Russian FM Sergey Lavrov #FreeDUROV

After the arrest of Pavel Durov, Telegram became the most used application in France. #FreeDUROV

TELEGRAM STATEMENT AFTER CEO DUROV ARRESTED IN FRANCE: "It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform. Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving." "Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all." #FreeDUROV

Durov's Arrest in France 'Living Warning to Any Platform Owner Who Refuses to Censor the Truth' - Tucker Carlson #FreeDUROV

Who is Pavel Durov, the Telegram CEO arrested in France? #PavelDurov , the Russian-born founder of the Telegram encrypted messaging app, was arrested at a French airport Saturday evening. The billionaire co-founder of Telegram Group Inc., who is 39-years-old, had been traveling abroad on his private jet from Azerbaijan and was arrested at Paris's Bourget airport following a French warrant for his arrest issued while he was in flight. The entrepreneur lives in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is based, and holds citizenship in four countries: Russia, St. Kitts and Nevis (an island country in the Caribbean Sea), France, and the UAE, according to media reports. Durov left Russia in 2014. The 39-year-old is believed to have a net worth of $15.5 billion, according to Forbes. Durov co-founded Telegram, which has about 900 million active users, with his brother in 2013. The US government has pressured Durov to allow a "backdoor" in the app for Western intelligence, the CEO told US journalist Tucker Carlson earlier this year. However the entrepreneur has maintained that #Telegram should remain a “neutral platform” that is not a “player in geopolitics.” #FreeDUROV