Key Points
- Snowden addressed the arrest of Telegram’s Pavel Durov, calling it an “assault on the basic human rights.”
- Telegram issued an official statement about the platform’s compliance and constant improvement.
The former American NSA intelligence contractor and whistleblower, Edward Snowden, addressed the recent arrest of Telegram’s founder and CEO, Pavel Durov who was detained in France over the weekend.
According to Snowden, Durov’s arrest is an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. In a post on X, he highlighted his disappointment that Macron has “descended to the level of taking hostages,” as a means for gaining access to private communications, saying that this lowers not only France but the world.
Snowden also wished for a political movement focused on making the government get out of the way and leave people alone, an ideology to answer the growing “prison-planet problem.”
The Importance of Knowledge in Preserving Liberty
Snowden shared a quote from Samuel Adams, one of the Founding Fathers of the US, reflecting his belief in the importance of knowledge and virtue in preserving liberty:
“No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and virtue is preserved. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant and debauched, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign invaders.”
Samuel Adams was an advocate for American independence and emphasized the need for an educated and virtuous citizenry to maintain freedom.
Snowden also mentioned other censored platforms like TikTok, mentioning how people don’t speak out enough on the matter.
Telegram Issues Official Statement
Following Durov’s arrest, Telegram also issued an official statement via X.
The team behind Telegram noted that the platform abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act, and its moderation is within industry standards and is constantly improving.
They also noted that Telegram’s CEO has nothing to hide and he travels frequently in Europe, and it’s absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse that can potentially take place on that specific platform.
Almost a billion users globally are currently using Telegram as a means of communication and a source of vital information.
The team behind the project noted that they are awaiting a prompt resolution of the situation, and told people that Telegram is with them all.
Yesterday, the TON Community also issued an official statement, calling for unity and continued focus on the global mission.
Elon Musk has also been showing intense support for Telegram’s founder via his X account, another platform that is highly scrutinized for allowing free speech.
Musk told people to take a stand, sharing a quote from Marcus Aurelius that highlights that injustice also means doing nothing.
X is currently the platform where people can show the most support for Telegram and its founder and which still allows people to freely address important issues about basic human rights.
