Renowned NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden gave his take regarding the recent arrest in France of Telegram founder Pavel Durov. Snowden blasted the French government’s actions, stating that these constituted an “assault on the basic human rights of speech and association.” Snowden called for people to “wake up,” highlighting the attack that world governments have mounted against free speech on these platforms.
Edward Snowden: Pavel Durov's Arrest Is an Assault on Basic Human Rights
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Edward Snowden Blasts French Government for Arresting Telegram Founder Pavel Durov
Different personalities are raising their voices to criticize and condemn the actions exerted against Telegram founder Pavel Durov. Edward Snowden, famous for leaking documents revealing the existence of secret global surveillance programs, blasted the French government for arresting Durov.
In statements made on X, Snowden declared:
The arrest of Durov is an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association.
Furthermore, he called out President Emmanuel Macron for being responsible for this arrest, considering it a kidnap. “I am surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications,” he stressed. “It lowers not only France, but the world,” he concluded.
Snowden also called people to “wake up” and understand that governments are out to get any platforms giving the ability to dissent to its users, like Tiktok and Telegram.
Durov’s arrest took place at Le Bourget on Saturday. Telegram, used by over 900 million users each month, would be in the sights of French authorities for facilitating crimes such as terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and fraud, among others.
Many other personalities, including X owner Elon Musk, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele have stated their concerns about Durov’s arrest and its implications for free speech platforms.
However, at the moment, his future is still a mystery. According to reports, French authorities recently extended his arrest to 96 hours. After this period, French justice can decide to free him or press charges and keep him in custody while this process develops.
What do you think about Edward Snowden’s statements on telegram founder Pavel Durov’s arrest? Tell us in the comments section below.
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