The Open Network Society, an independent group representing the TON community, has issued an open letter to French authorities, calling for the immediate release of Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov following his arrest at Le Bourget Airport on Aug. 24.

The letter from the TON Society begins by condemning Durov’s imprisonment as a “direct assault on a basic human right” and a violation of the principles of free speech.

In the letter, the authors urge supranational bodies, such as the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the European Union, to intervene on Durov’s behalf and pressure France to uphold human rights. The TON Society states:

“It must be noted that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has unanimously upheld the decision in the CASE OF PODCHASOV v. RUSSIA that ‘measures for encryption contribute to ensuring the enjoyment of other fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression.’”

The letter also calls on other social media companies and technology firms to resist state censorship pressures and other information embargoes against their users. The TON Society emphasizes that Telegram’s content moderation policies comply with the EU regulatory framework, including the Digital Services Act.

Despite increasing calls for Durov’s release, French authorities have announced that they will extend his detainment until Aug. 28 as part of an ongoing investigation into an unnamed user allegedly using the Telegram platform for illegal activities.

Amid backlash from the crypto community and free speech advocates, French President Emmanuel Macron responded, claiming that Durov’s arrest was not politically motivated. However, this statement only sparked further criticism from the online community.

In the wake of Durov’s arrest, Rumble CEO and founder Chris Pavlovski left Europe, citing the French government’s “threatening” stance toward Rumble and concerns that French authorities might detain other tech executives involved in free speech initiatives.