Pawel Durow definitely sees himself as an ancient hero. (Photo: Instagram Pawel Durow)
Not much is known about the arrest of Pavel Durov, the founder of the Russian social network VK and the messenger Telegram, at Paris airport. There are no photos, no videos and no statements from his lawyers. All of this provides ample material for all kinds of speculation. What if it was not an arrest at all, but Durov simply flew to France to make a deal with the French judiciary and, more broadly, with the Western world? A far more interesting version of events was offered by the Turkish newspaper Sabah. By arresting Durov, France allegedly fulfilled Israel’s order because “they want to shut down anti-Zionist news channels that are not censored by Telegram.”
There have always been many rumors and speculations about the somewhat eccentric businessman and his projects. This time, however, the discussion about Durov’s personality in the Russian-language media and social networks, triggered by the news of his arrest, was not as heated as the disputes about the basic principles of interaction between societies, freedoms and responsibility.
Yesterday criticized, today praised
However, the principles and assessments may change somewhat over time. Russian TV channels report of people in front of the French Embassy in Moscowleaving paper airplanes with the hashtag #freedurov. The Russian Foreign Ministry is ready to help Durov in any way it can. Former US intelligence agent Edward Snowden, who fled to Russia to escape American justice, said he was “surprised that Macron stooped to taking hostages.” It seems that literally everyone who comments on the situation on Russian TV channels considers Durov almost a hero.
Among them are those who previously advocated a ban on Telegram in Russia and fully supported the desire of the security services to gain direct access to the correspondence of Russians in this messenger without a court order. The French judiciary, which is now being denounced by Russian television, wants more or less the same thing. If not encryption keys, then stricter moderation of the messenger by Durov and his team.
Is he partly responsible?
Is the owner of the platform responsible for what happens on it? In addition to law-abiding users, Telegram also hosts all kinds of marginalized people and criminals. If the management of the platform does not cooperate with the state to catch drug traffickers and distributors of child pornography, does it not make itself an accomplice to the crime?
Another accusation that appears in the Russian-speaking part of the Internet concerns the military aspect. Some of the Russian-speaking social networks and Russian-speaking YouTube are Ukrainian and pro-Ukrainian users. Their jubilation over Durov’s arrest is understandable: Telegram has become, in their words, a “tool of war”. This is also confirmed by Russian front-line reporters. Some journalists even call Durov the “head of communications of the Russian armed forces”. Konstantin Klimenko, rector of the Eurasian International University in Moscow, on the other hand, considers Durov worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize. He has already sent an official application to the Nobel Committee, which he announced via Telegram on August 27.
Telegram as the last hope
However, a very large part of Russians see Durov’s main achievement in something else. In Russia, law enforcement agencies are not only busy catching drug dealers or identifying cells of Islamic terrorists. Any thoughtless statement that, in the opinion of the authorities, discredits the army can be a reason for criminal proceedings. This also applies to criticism of officials. Even if it is a post that only five people have seen. Such a statement in a personal exchange can also be a reason for persecution. We are not talking about marginalized people, right-wing or left-wing extremists or conspiracy theorists, although Telegram is associated with exactly such people in Europe. In the Russian context, this messenger is a form of survival for the opposition media and a platform for the dissemination of independent opinions, which probably no one in the whole of Europe who is skeptical about Telegram can consider extreme.
Maria Prusakova, a State Duma deputy from Altai Territory, tried in vain to obtain the right to report on her work on a local budget-funded TV channel. In response to the refusal, she said that she could only reach voters with the help of “Durov’s products.” She added: “Hold on, Pavel, don’t let go of the keys, you are the last hope for freedom of speech in Altai Territory.”
Igor Beresin
