US entrepreneur Elon Musk criticized France's arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, saying that by 2030, Europe will be executing people for liking memes on the Internet.

"POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme," Musk wrote on his social media platform X, commenting on Durov's recent detention in France.

POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme https://t.co/OkZ6YS3u2P

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024

The Tesla founder replied to another post on X, describing Durov's arrest as a "convincing" advertisement for the First Amendment of the US Constitution which upholds the right to freedom of speech and expression. 

Check out this ad for the First Amendment. It is very convincing.
https://t.co/mb4UCSZcgR

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024

Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested at French airport

Pavel Durov, the billionaire co-founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday evening, according to TF1 TV. Durov, who was traveling from Azerbaijan on his private jet, was detained around 8 p.m. local time due to an outstanding arrest warrant in France.

According to French media, this comes as part of a preliminary police investigation.

The 39-year-old Russia-born entrepreneur has been residing in Dubai and holds dual citizenship in France and the UAE.

Durov was on France's wanted list and arrested, according to media reports, on the French justice system's claims that he refused to cooperate with the nation's authorities and his alleged involvement in several crimes.

Telegram, which Durov co-founded with his brother Nikolai in 2013, now has over 900 million active users and is known for its end-to-end encrypted messaging and "channels" for quickly disseminating information.

The Russian embassy in France is taking steps to clarify the situation, though there has been no formal appeal from Durov’s team. Telegram has yet to comment on the arrest.