Rumble CEO leaves Europe amid Telegram CEO detention

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Chris Pavlovski, the founder and CEO of Rumble, a free-speech-friendly alternative to mainstream platforms like YouTube, said he left Europe after the recent arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.

“I’m a little late on this, but for good reason – I just left Europe safely,” Pavlovski announced on X on Sunday.

Pavlovski added that French authorities have indicated their intention to take legal action against Rumble. The platform, known for its focus on freedom of expression, has previously blocked French access in response to requests to censor Russian news sources.

Pavlovski believes the French government crossed a line in its actions targeting Durov, who has been accused of failing to censor content on the platform. He stated that Rumble will use legal means to defend the right to free speech, which he considers a universal human right.

“Rumble will not tolerate this behavior and will use all available legal means to fight for freedom of expression, a universal human right. We are currently fighting in the French courts and we hope for the immediate release of Pavel Durov,” said Pavlovski.

On Saturday, the tech world was sent into a frenzy when Durov was arrested in France on charges related to Telegram’s alleged non-cooperation with law enforcement.

French authorities have accused the popular messaging app of facilitating illegal activities such as drug trafficking, promoting terrorism and fraud due to a lack of content moderation. Durov faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the charges.

At the time of reporting, French authorities are still conducting a preliminary investigation and have not yet brought formal charges against Durov. According to a new report from LeMonde, the French judge will decide whether to release him or press charges at the end of his initial detention period.

Russian authorities responded to Durov’s detention by demanding an explanation from French authorities. X owner Elon Musk also criticized the arrest, saying free speech in Europe is under attack.

Following Durov’s arrest, Telegram issued a statement vehemently denying any wrongdoing. The company said its content moderation policies align with industry standards and that Durov has “nothing to hide.”

The company also dismissed claims that a platform or its owner could be held liable for misuse of that platform as “absurd”. Telegram’s response to the ongoing legal challenges has been shared with the TON community.

Following Durov’s arrest, Toncoin experienced a sharp drop in price. However, the crypto has shown signs of recovery over the past 24 hours, currently trading at around $5.6, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

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