Key Takeaways
- Russian hackers allegedly focused French authorities web sites in response to Pavel Durov’s arrest.
- President Macron claims the arrest of Telegram’s CEO was not politically motivated.
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The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Workplace has issued a press launch detailing the official costs in opposition to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. The judicial investigation, opened on July 8, 2024, following a preliminary inquiry by the Combat in opposition to Cybercrime Unit (JUNALCO), lists a number of grave allegations in opposition to an unnamed particular person, with Durov, who was arrested over the weekend, accused of complicity in these actions via the Telegram platform.
The costs embody complicity in working a web-based platform to allow unlawful transactions in an organized group; refusing to offer info crucial for authorized interceptions; complicity in possession and distribution of kid pornography in an organized group; offering instruments for unlawful entry to automated knowledge processing programs, and prison affiliation for committing crimes, complicity in drug trafficking, organized fraud, and cash laundering associated to organized crime.
Durov was additionally charged with offering “cryptology” companies with out correct certification, in addition to one other cost for “importing cryptology instruments” with out prior declaration.
The prosecutor’s workplace additional said that Durov’s custody, which started on August 24, might last as long as 96 hours till August 28, given the process relevant to organized crime offenses.
Telegram responded to the costs in an announcement, asserting that it complies with European Union legal guidelines and dismissing the allegations as unfounded. The corporate emphasised that Durov has “nothing to cover” and criticized the notion that the platform or its founder needs to be held accountable for potential misuse by some customers.
The arrest and subsequent costs have sparked reactions from numerous quarters. Tech leaders and privateness advocates have expressed concern about this occasion’s implications for digital communication platforms and consumer privateness, which might doubtlessly set a harmful precedent for a way governments may goal tech leaders sooner or later, prompting fears of overreach. Nevertheless, critics of Telegram have additionally argued that the platform’s minimal moderation strategy has enabled numerous unlawful actions.
Durov’s arrest was ‘not political’ : Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron discovered himself on the defensive as reactions to the arrest grew. In an announcement launched on August 26, Macron tried to quell rising worldwide concern by asserting that Durov’s arrest was not politically motivated. The French chief emphasised his nation’s dedication to freedom of speech and expression, insisting that the case can be dealt with by France’s unbiased judiciary system.
Nevertheless, Macron’s phrases didn’t stem the tide of criticism. The crypto group and free speech activists rallied to Durov’s protection. Gabor Gurbacs, former director of digital asset technique at VanEck, pointedly questioned the French strategy:
“You arrest the man then see if he did one thing mistaken? Is that this the ‘rule of legislation’ and ‘freedom of expression’ you’re speaking about?”
The refrain of voices calling for Durov’s launch grew louder, with trade names reminiscent of Elon Musk including his voice to the rising protest, posting a #FreePavel video on X. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin additionally his issues on the matter.
“I’ve criticized Telegram earlier than for not being critical with encryption, however given the data out there to this point: the cost appears to be simply being ‘unmoderated’ and never giving up individuals’s knowledge. This appears to be like very unhealthy and worrying for the way forward for software program and comms freedom in Europe,” Buterin mentioned on X, responding to a submit from Balaji Srinivasan.
French authorities web sites underneath assault
On August 26, reviews started circulating that a number of key French authorities web sites had gone offline in what seemed to be a denial of service (DDoS) assault. The Administrative Court docket of Paris, the French Well being Division’s official website, and the Court docket of Cassation’s webpage have been amongst these affected. Guests to those websites have been met with warnings of unsecure connections, leaving many to take a position concerning the extent and origin of the assault.
Preliminary reviews from Entropia Intel instructed that the assaults have been probably a response to Durov’s arrest, which occurred on August 24 at Le Bourget airport close to Paris. The timing and targets of the cyberattack appeared to verify this idea, with Russian hacker or “hacktivist” teams being named as potential culprits.
On the time of writing, Crypto Briefing has been unable to independently confirm these claims, though it has been reported by not less than one different crypto publication.
Durov, who gained prominence because the founding father of Russia’s largest social media platform VK, has a historical past of resisting authorities stress on consumer knowledge entry. He established Telegram in 2013 as a platform dedicated to free speech and privateness, which has made it in style amongst crypto fans and privacy-conscious customers worldwide.
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