The Russian singer SHAMAN, commenting on the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov.

adding, from Rumble Platform founder:

❗️Rumble owner Chris Pavlovski has just escaped Europe after watching Pavel Durov's arrest in France

https://x.com/chrispavlovski/status/1827658235618144257

I’m a little late to this, but for good reason - I’ve just safely departed from Europe.

France has threatened Rumble, and now they have crossed a red line by arresting Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov, reportedly for not censoring speech.

Rumble will not stand for this behavior and will use every legal means available to fight for freedom of expression, a universal human right. We are currently fighting in the courts of France, and we hope for Pavel Durov’s immediate release.

and:

❗️Durov was put on the wanted list just a  few minutes before landing in Paris, and an arrest warrant was issued, the media reports, citing BFMTV

Dmitry Medvedev comments:

Once, quite a long time ago, I asked Durov why he did not want to cooperate with law enforcement agencies on serious crimes. “This is my principled position,” he said. “Then there will be serious problems in any country,” I told him.

He decided that his biggest problems were in Russia, and he left, and then also received citizenship/residence permits in other countries. He wanted to be a brilliant "man of the world" who lives well without a homeland. Ubi bene ibi patria!

He miscalculated. For all our common enemies now, he is Russian – and therefore unpredictable and dangerous . Of a different blood. Definitely not Musk or Zuckerberg (who, by the way, actively cooperates with the FBI). Durov needs to finally understand that one does not choose one’s Fatherland, just like one does not choose one’s times…

and:

The Russian Embassy in France is in contact with Durov's lawyer, and is demanding that the French authorities ensure the protection of his rights. The diplomats also demanded that they be granted consular access.
It was also noted that the French side has so far avoided interaction.

Also:  

Maria Zakharova commented on the arrest of Pavel Durov:

Russia sent a note demanding access to Durov, but Paris perceives his French citizenship as the main one, Maria Zakharova told RIA Novosti

The Russian embassy in Paris, as is customary in cases involving the detention of Russian citizens by local authorities, promptly took action. It is unnecessary to remind our diplomats of their functional duties.

I recall that in 2018, a group of 26 NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and others, condemned the Russian court's decision to block Telegram. Similar statements were made in the West.

These statements were made because, starting July 1, 2018, the Yarovaya Law came into effect in Russia, requiring telecommunications operators to store phone call records and internet traffic of their clients for six months, as well as encryption keys for user correspondence, and to provide them to the FSB of Russia upon request. Telegram faced legislative issues due to the technical parameters of its encryption system.

These Western NGOs called on the Russian authorities to stop creating obstacles for Telegram. They appealed to the UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the European Union, the US, and other governments to counter Russia's actions, protect fundamental rights to freedom of expression and privacy, and urged internet companies to resist unwarranted and illegal demands that violate users' rights. They demanded that Russian authorities ensure the rights of internet users to publish and anonymously view information on websites, stressing that any restrictions should be sanctioned by the court and fully comply with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Meanwhile, Durov remained free, continuing to develop Telegram.
I am publishing a screenshot of all the Western specialized organizations that spoke out at that time, including with a collective appeal. Do you think this time they will call on Paris and demand Durov's release, or will they remain silent?

and:  Edward Snowden @Snowden said the following:

The arrest of @Durov is an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. I am surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world.