TON Society's Letter to France Condemns Telegram CEO's Arrest
The Open Network (TON) Society, an independent group representing the TON community, has issued an open letter to French authorities, demanding the immediate release of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, who was arrested at Le Bourget Airport on 24 August.
In the letter, the TON Society denounces Durov's imprisonment as not merely a legal matter but as a "direct assault on a basic human right" and a serious violation of free speech principles.
The authors of the letter urge international organisations 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.
JUST IN: TON Society urges UN & EU to step in after France extends Pavel Durov’s detention, raising global concerns over encryption and censorship. 🔐 #TechFreedom https://t.co/1Jj1sqpiBu
— Crypto Head (@CryptoHeadio) August 28, 2024
The letter further references a European Court of Human Rights ruling, emphasizing that encryption tools, like those employed by Telegram, are crucial for safeguarding freedom of expression.
The TON Society states in its open letter: https://telegra.ph/Open-Letter-to-France-08-27
“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.”
It also calls on social media and technology companies to resist state censorship and other forms of information suppression against their users.
The TON Society highlights that Telegram's content moderation policies align with the EU's regulatory framework, including the Digital Services Act, underscoring the platform's compliance with international standards.
This issue, they assert, transcends legal boundaries, representing a broader fight for the future of online freedom.
The outcome of this situation will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications beyond France.
TON Society Launches Open Letter Mini App to Gather Signatures
The TON Society has launched an Open Letter Mini App, urging advocates of freedom of speech and privacy to sign a petition directed at French authorities.
The initiative, titled "Free Pavel @Durov and Defend Free Speech," seeks to amass one million signatures.
TON Society Urges Public to Back Free Speech with New Petition App
The @TON_Society has introduced an Open Letter Mini App, urging those who support freedom of speech and privacy to sign a petition directed at French authorities. The initiative, titled "Free Pavel @Durov and… pic.twitter.com/93cbc3Kc32
— THE TON REPORT (@TheTONReport) August 27, 2024
Since its inception, the app has garnered nearly 600,000 signatures, showcasing robust support for the cause.
Over 1 million #DigitalResistance supporters have signed the Open Letter in just 6 hours!
Thank you for your support. Now we are stronger than ever before.
Sign the Open Letter: https://t.co/Ir6t62Raz2#FREEDUROV ✊
— TON Society 🆓 (@ton_society) August 27, 2024
Within six hours, the petition surpassed one million signatures, and as of now, the total stands at close to 1.5 million.
The campaign continues to collect signatures, aiming to reach its next goal of five million signatures.
Experts Worry About Impact of Durov's Arrest on Crypto
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov faces serious accusations, with charges alleging that Telegram has been used to facilitate illegal activities, including unlawful transactions and the distribution of illicit content.
The charges also claim that Durov has refused to cooperate with law enforcement by withholding crucial data needed for legal investigations.
These allegations have sparked a strong backlash from the crypto and tech communities, who view the situation as a dangerous precedent for privacy and regulatory overreach.
Wayne Vaughan, CEO of Tierion, sees the charges as a direct challenge to the fundamental principles of the crypto world.
Telegram's CEO is being charged for using cryptography without government approval. This should concern everyone in Bitcoin and crypto—no one should need government permission to do math. pic.twitter.com/ZYjHRJj1Yy
— Wayne Vaughan (@WayneVaughan) August 26, 2024
The arrest has ignited a larger conversation about the future of technology and the role of encryption.
Andy Yen, CEO of Proton, warned that such legal actions could stifle innovation, particularly in France, and referred to the situation as "economic suicide" for the country's tech sector.
The unsealed charges against Durov are insane. If sustained, I don't see how tech founders could possibly travel to France, much less hire in France. This is economic suicide and is rapidly and permanently changing the perception of founders and investors. https://t.co/ItYH93wfRX
— Andy Yen (@andyyen) August 26, 2024
Lyudmyla Kozlovska, President of the Open Dialogue Foundation, highlighted the broader implications, cautioning that without strong protections, privacy and encryption could soon be criminalised under regulatory measures similar to those targeting Durov.
Every time when I was said “bitcoin doesn’t care” I was telling that we need to protect and PREVENT attacks against developers, investors, end-users and entire ecosystem of #Bitcoin, including miners.
Case of #Durov is a bright example what we can expect if technology is… pic.twitter.com/vD1M7jHBKd
— Lyudmyla Kozlovska 🇪🇺🇺🇦 (@LyudaKozlovska) August 26, 2024
Kashif Raza, founder of Bitinning, underscored the significance of the case by likening Durov’s arrest to a scenario involving Satoshi Nakamoto, illustrating the potential widespread impact on the global crypto and tech industries.
The arrest of Pavel Durov just tells you what they would have done to Satoshi Nakamoto??
They are against everything that promotes FREE SPEECH.
Pavel Durov's arrest is an advertisement for the importance of Bitcoin.
— Kashif Raza (@simplykashif) August 25, 2024
