Elon Musk, Edward Snowden and tech leaders criticise arrest of Telegram Founder Pavel Durov

Arrest of Telegram Founder: The arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France hit the headlines in no time, and many tech leaders reacted very sharply, including Elon Musk and Edward Snowden. 

The arrest of the founder was due to charges related to his messaging application, Telegram, which is known to have almost incorruptible end-to-end encryption. He was detained once his plane landed at Le Bourget Airport. 

Durov could face up to 20 years of imprisonment from now if declared guilty. 

Being a free speech advocate these days is increasingly feeling like a Kobayashi Maru problem

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, raised concerns over the growing trend of censorship in Europe. He took to X formerly known as Twitter and said "Being a free speech advocate these days is increasingly feeling like a Kobayashi Maru problem".

 Edward Snowden, made a Russian citizen last year and who blew the whistle on the NSA, said in a tweet that the arrest was an "assault on basic human rights" and an effort by French President Emmanuel Macron to get some private communication. He was disappointed by the actions that had been taken by France. Snowden tweeted.

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)

 "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". 

In another post he urged netizens to wake up, 

"First they came for Tiktok, and I did not speak out—Because I was not twelve years old. Then they came for the Telegram, and I did not speak out Because I was using some other app or sth idk. Then they came for literally every other platform for dissent, and I did not speak out because bro how tf could i that's the entire point wake up wake up wa—" Snowdens posted on X (formerly Twitter). 

First they came for Tiktok, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not twelve years old. Then they came for the Telegram, and I did not speak out—
Because I was using some other app or sth idk. Then they came for literally every other platform for dissent, and I did not…

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden)

 American entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan said that the French government is interested in control more than justice." And why Durov should be blamed or accountable for 'Agenda' in the Telegram when the government couldn't even prevent crime in its own area. "France doesn't care about crime, they care about control. 

 "France doesn't care about crime, they care about control. Is Macron held personally responsible for every crime in France? No. So why is Durov expected to manage every action on Telegram?” Srinivasan tweeted." He posted.

 Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, too chimed in on the dismay about the arrest and the implications it has on communication freedom in Europe and said that even though he had slammed Telegram's policies on encryption in the past, he was shocked at Durov's arrest.

 David Sacks, general partner for Craft Ventures, said the situation was akin to rendition, and that it showed France joining forces with a whole host of other friendly nations to somehow circumvent all the existing legal safeguards for its own citizens. 

Paul Graham, a computer scientist, warned of damage to France's reputation as a startup hub.