The TON (The Open Network) Society, a community committed to advancing the TON blockchain, has called on French authorities to release Telegram co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov.
On August 25, Durov was arrested as part of an investigation involving an unnamed Telegram user, who is accused of refusing to cooperate with the authorities, administrating a platform that enables illegal transactions, offering crypto services without prior declaration, and organized fraud, among other criminal activities.
In an open letter, the TON Society strongly criticizes the arrest, describing it as an attack on the right to free speech, which they argue is a basic human right.
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The letter extends its plea to international organizations, urging entities like the United Nations (UN), the Council of Europe (CoE), and the European Union (EU) to pressure France to respect "the fundamental right to liberty online." The TON Society added:
We call on all tech and social media platforms to resist baseless and extra-judicial orders that violate the rights of their users, which must be defended at all costs.
They further argue that Telegram's content moderation aligns with the regulations of the EU, including the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The situation has sparked outrage within the crypto community. In response to the backlash, French President Emmanuel Macron asserted that Durov's arrest was not politically motivated. However, his remarks did little to end the dissatisfaction online.
Despite demands for Durov's release, French authorities have extended his detention until August 28.
Thus, the TON Society's letter reflects the widespread concern over Durov's arrest and calls for immediate action to uphold human rights and protect freedom of expression.
In other news, the European Commission alleges that X might have violated the DSA; if this is confirmed, the company could face fines of over $200 million.
