Pavel Durov, the enigmatic CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, was reportedly arrested at a French airport earlier today.
The reason for the arrest remains unclear, sending shockwaves through the tech community and raising concerns about the potential implications for Telegram and its millions of users worldwide.
Sources close to the matter suggest that French authorities apprehended Durov upon arrival at the airport, but the specific charges or allegations against him have not been disclosed.
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Telegram, known for its strong encryption and commitment to privacy, has often been at odds with governments seeking greater access to user data for surveillance and law enforcement purposes.
Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur living in self-imposed exile since 2014, has been a vocal advocate for internet freedom and privacy rights.
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His arrest has sparked speculation about whether it is related to Telegram’s refusal to comply with government demands or if it involves other, unrelated matters.
But not waiting to find out, CEO of Rumble, Chris Pavlovski, said on X Sunday, “I’m a little late to this, but for good reason — I’ve just safely departed from Europe. France has threatened Rumble, and now they have crossed a red line by arresting Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov, reportedly for not censoring speech. 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.”
This story will be updated.
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