Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Snowden slams Macron for taking Telegram's Durov 'hostage'

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 25 Aug 2024 20:42
  • 2 Shares
3 Min Read

Snowden stated on X that the arrest of Pavel Durov was "an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association."

Listen
  • x
  • Snowden slams Macron for taking Durov hostage 
    Former US National Agency contractor Edward Snowden addresses attendees through a video link at the Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon on November 4, 2019. (AP)

Former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden and whistleblower accused French President Emmanuel Macron of "taking" Telegram CEO Pavel Durov "hostage" to gain backdoor access to the messaging program.

Snowden stated on X that his arrest was "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."

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.

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) August 25, 2024

Following the arrest of Telegram messaging platform creator Pavel Durov, the Russian embassy in France accused French authorities on Sunday of "refusing to cooperate."

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 pm 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 Russian-born entrepreneur has been residing in Dubai and holds dual citizenship in France and the UAE.

Related News

Why Europe's regulatory power is no longer enough: FT

Valery Zaluzhny: From Ukraine top general to presidential prospect

The leader of France's Les Patriotes party, Florian Philippot, blasted President Emmanual Macron's government as one of "lunatics" after authorities arrested Durov. 

According to Philippot, France offered "its tyrannical face to the world" after its detention of Durov, who added, "We should free ourselves from these lunatics." 

Incroyable ! ⤵️

À l’aéroport du Bourget, le PDG et fondateur du réseau social #Telegram a été arrêté cette nuit par la police française, mis en détention provisoire et risque 20 ans de prison !

Pourquoi ? « Pour absence de modération, de coopération avec les forces de l’ordre,… pic.twitter.com/zPIspVnKLT

— Florian Philippot (@f_philippot) August 25, 2024

Russian officials respond to Durov's arrest

Ekaterina Mizulina, head of Russia’s Safe Internet League, said that the French authorities’ decision to detain Pavel Durov was not made independently, noting that "It is obvious that the arrest is an attack on TON (a blockchain-based platform originally developed by Telegram’s creators) in which major Russian companies have invested. 

Vladislav Davankov, the deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, urged France to release Durov, expressing concerns that the arrest might be politically driven and used as a means to gain access to Telegram users' personal data, a scenario that "Russia cannot allow".

Moreover, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova questioned whether international human rights groups would pressure France after its authorities detained Durov as they did when Russia proposed regulations for the platform's operations. 

Zakharova took to the Foreign Ministry's Telegram channel to recount a 2018 incident during which 28 non-governmental organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, and Reporters Without Borders, launched a condemnation campaign against Russia over plans to ban the platform in the country. 

"What do you think, will they [the NGOs] appeal to Paris this time and demand Durov’s release, or will they swallow their tongues?" she questioned. 

  • Edward Snowden
  • Emmanuel Macron
  • Pavel Durov
  • Telegram
  • Russia
  • France
  • Moscow
  • Maria Zakharova
  • United States

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Displaced Palestinians walk through a makeshift camp along the beach in Gaza City, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)

Hamas, other factions accept Egypt-Qatar ceasefire proposal: Exclusive

  • Politics
  • 18 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS