Telegram founder and frontman, Pavel Durov, was arrested on Saturday night by French police, with no charges yet filed. However, it is rumoured that he may face a long jail sentence. Durov, born in St. Petersburg, holds citizenship or residency in France, the UAE, and St. Kitts & Nevis.
Here are some reactions from prominent Russian media voices.
Dmitry Medvedev, the head of the Russian Security Council and former president of Russia, commented on Durov’s refusal to cooperate with law enforcement agencies on serious crimes. He stated that Durov believed he would face his biggest problems in Russia, which prompted him to leave and seek citizenship or residency in other countries. However, Medvedev claims this miscalculation led to Durov being seen as a threat by their enemies.
Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs, believes that modernity is moving in mysterious ways and compares Pavel Durov to Julian Assange. However, he notes that while Assange was defended by the collective Left, Durov will be supported by conservative forces.
Andrey Medvedev, a journalist, TV presenter, politician, and deputy speaker of the Moscow City Duma, discusses how Durov’s arrest has taken on new significance as he is a key figure in the current war. Telegram is seen as an alternative to closed military communication, leading many to question the future of the messaging platform.
Evgeny Primakov, the head of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, [Russian] Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation, emphasizes that “democracy” is about rule by democrats, which is why Western Europe has more democracy than other regions.
Margarita Simonyan, RT editor-in-chief, suggests that anyone who has used Telegram for sensitive conversations or texts should delete the app now and never use it again, as Durov was arrested to take away his keys. She believes he will give them up.
Georgy Bovt, a renowned political analyst and journalist, highlights that Russia could have issued an arrest warrant for Durov, last week, on similar charges as the French did but chose not to do so, thus avoiding Western outrage.
Vyacheslav Davankov, the deputy speaker of the State Duma and leader of the New People Party, urges Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to call on the French authorities to release Durov from custody. He suggests that efforts should be made to transfer him to either the UAE or Russia if France refuses to do so.
Davankov proposes a temporary restriction of access to French websites earning money in Russia until Pavel Durov is released, arguing that it would send a strong message about respecting freedom and privacy of citizens’ correspondence.