Holding an unauthorised protest in Russia is illegal. Activists have tried to skirt that law by staging single-person pickets but even they are punishable by a fine or up to 15 days in prison. That sentence can rise to five years for a third breach.
Solo protesters have gathered outside the French embassy in Moscow to call for the release of Telegram founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, who was arrested in France on Saturday night.
Paper aeroplanes symbolizing Telegram’s logo were placed on the ground in front of the building. One of the protesters, Vlad Mazur, carried a sign calling on the French “not to follow in Putin’s footsteps” and to respect freedom of speech.
He was later detained by police officers.
Holding an unauthorised protest in Russia is illegal. Activists have tried to skirt that law by staging single-person pickets but even they are punishable by a fine or up to 15 days in prison. That sentence can rise to five years for a third breach.
Pavel Durov was arrested on Saturday night after landing at Le Bourget airport outside Paris on his private jet.
Russian-born Durov has been the subject of an arrest warrant in France.
According to French media reports, the investigation focuses on the lack of moderators on Telegram, which police allege allows criminal activity, such as drug dealing and pedophilia networking, to take place unhindered on the messaging app.
His arrest has sparked a wave of concern in the tech community and among internet freedom advocates.
Telegram, which has nearly one billion users, is known for its focus on privacy and encryption, features that have made it popular but also controversial.
It’s become one of the leading social media platforms, ranking high alongside giants like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat.
Its influence is particularly noticeable in Russia, Ukraine, and the republics of the former Soviet Union.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Telegram has become the main source of unfiltered content about the war and the politics surrounding it, but it has also been a source of disinformation.
Some analysts describe it as a “virtual battlefield” used intensively by both Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his officials, as well as by the Russian government.
However, it is an application that still does not meet the requirements of the European Union, which has led to it being temporarily suspended in some member countries, such as Spain.
Durov founded Telegram with his brother in 2013.
ADVERTISEMENTHe left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on his VKontakte social media platform, which he eventually sold.
In an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson in April, Durov explained his departure from Russia and search for a home for his company, which included stays in Berlin, London, Singapore and San Francisco.
“I prefer to be free than to take orders from someone,” Durov said in the interview, stressing his commitment to freedom of expression and privacy.
Durov’s arrest raises important questions about the balance between freedom of expression and the need to moderate online content.
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