Telegram Founder’s Arrest Raises Alarm at United Nation

• U.N. expresses human rights concerns over Pavel Durov’s detention in France.
• Durov faces charges linked to Telegram’s alleged security failures.
• Toncoin experiences a significant price drop amid arrest, hitting a four-month low.

The United Nations has expressed serious concerns over the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, labeling it a case that “raises a lot of human rights concerns.” Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport near Paris on August 24th and is currently facing several charges related to Telegram.

Speaking at a briefing on Tuesday, Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the U.N. Human Rights Office, acknowledged the complexity of Durov’s situation and its potential impact on human rights, stating:

“This is a very complex case. It raises a lot of human rights concerns,”

Shamdasani confirmed that the U.N. is closely monitoring the Durov case but emphasized the need for further investigation.

She underscored the importance of addressing critical issues like legality, necessity, and proportionality in such cases. She also highlighted concerns about hate speech, incitement to violence, and harmful disinformation.

Shamdasani drew parallels to Brazil, where Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, was recently blocked. She emphasized that while governments have a right to regulate social media, any restrictions must be proportionate and in line with international human rights standards.

Meanwhile, French authorities have barred Durov from leaving the country. The Telegram founder has been accused of poor security compliance, allegedly allowing illicit activities like child abuse imagery and fraud to thrive on the platform.

Durov’s lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminski, refuted these claims, stating that “Telegram complies fully with European rules concerning digital technology.” The arrest has sparked debate, with supporters viewing Durov as a champion of free speech and critics arguing that Telegram lacks sufficient oversight.

Durov’s arrest has triggered caution among market participants. Particularly, many cryptocurrencies in Telegram’s blockchain network TON have experienced a price slip.

For instance, Toncoin’s price slipped below $5 on Tuesday, hitting a four-month low. The coin trades at $4.65, showing a 10% loss in the recent intraday session. This dip pushed Toncoin out of the top ten crypto assets ranked by market cap.