The Open Community (TON) Society launched a press release on March 15 celebrating the return of Pavel Durov’s passport as a win for freedom of speech, on-line privateness, and innovation.
In keeping with the AFP information company, Durov left France and headed to Dubai on the morning of March 15 after gaining permission from French officers to depart the European nation.
“We now have stood behind Pavel since his arrest on August 24, 2024,” the TON Society wrote. The group added:
“Pavel’s unwavering dedication to freedom of speech and transparency, regardless of going through probably the most difficult of circumstances, is a robust reminder of the significance of standing by your ideas, even when it’s politically and personally detrimental to take action.”
The TON Society beforehand penned a letter condemning the French authorities for detaining Durov and urging the nation to launch the Telegram founder.
The TON Society celebrates the return of Durov’s passport by French legislation enforcement officers. Supply: TON Society
“The arrest of the Telegram founder, Pavel Durov, is a direct assault on a fundamental human proper — the liberty of expression of everybody,” the TON Society’s Aug. 27 letter learn.
On the time, the group additionally known as on the United Nations, the Council of Europe (CoE), the Group for Safety and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the European Union (EU) to intervene and push for Durov’s launch.
Free speech advocates within the crypto business sounded the alarm over Pavel Durov’s arrest, citing the troubling implications for privateness and decentralized applied sciences within the face of state stress to censor the web and the potential for regulatory seize.
Emmanuel Macron denies political motivation for Durov’s arrest
Shortly after French legislation enforcement officers detained the Telegram founder, President Emmanuel Macron denied the arrest was politically motivated and claimed that France was dedicated to free speech.
French President Emmanuel Macron denies the arrest of Pavel Durov was politically motivated. Supply: Emmanuel Macron
In a subsequent press convention, Macron additionally denied inviting Durov to France amid a torrent of backlash from the crypto neighborhood and free speech advocates.
Chris Pavlovski, the CEO of the free-speech video platform Rumble, introduced that he safely departed Europe shortly following the detention of Pavel Durov.
In an Aug. 25 X put up, the CEO stated that the French authorities threatened Rumble and condemned state authorities for the crackdown on free speech.
Journal: Did Telegram’s Pavel Durov commit a criminal offense? Crypto legal professionals weigh in