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On August 24, 2024, French media reported that Pavel Valeryevich Durov, Russian billionaire and co-founder and chief executive officer of Telegram Messenger Inc., was arrested in Paris, as part of an investigation involving complicity in serious crimes on the platform, ranging from drug trafficking to the distribution of child sex abuse material. In response, Telegram issued a statement asserting that the company abides by EU laws.
Durov's arrest sparked a wave of reactions by proponents of free speech who claimed the charges aim at restricting freedom of communication.
The encrypted Telegram application, which has over 900 million active users, has been among the platforms of choice for right-wing extremists, Salafi jihadis, and Iran-backed militias, due to its minimal moderation and oversight over user content.
Following a major crackdown banning jihadi content on Twitter, which later became X, media operatives of major jihadi groups such as Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State (ISIS) and their regional affiliates flocked to Telegram and have been operating channels and chatbots ever since.
Dissemination Of Official ISIS Releases Uninterrupted
In the days following Durov's arrest, pro-ISIS media groups on Telegram, including those that distribute official ISIS media in Arabic and in translations, continued to post and share content uninterrupted.
"Telegram Will Be Worse Than Before"
A user commented on Durov's arrest on the end-to-end-encryption ISIS-operated Rocket.Chat server on August 27, warning that Telegram is now "in the hands of the counter-terrorism branch."
"Telegram will now be worse than before. It's dangerous be careful Brothers," he warned.
Earlier, in June 2023, a prolific pro-ISIS Telegram channel cautioned against using Telegram in a piece titled "How Telegram Is Really Not Open Source." The channel claimed that Telegram is unsafe because user messages are stored within the app's server and can be accessed in plaintext, unencrypted. It continued: "When individuals tell you 'Telegram is open source therefore it protects privacy,' remember the server-side code is not open source, only the client-side code. All of the messages, contacts, user information data is stored server-side, meaning if there's a back door to your account, you have no privacy on Telegram."
Iran-Backed Channel Mocks "Refusal To Cooperate" Charge Against Durov
On August 25, a Telegram channel, which supports Iran-backed militias in Iraq, published posters designed by an Iran-backed cyber team mocking Durov's arrest, and saying that the charge directed against Durov is "refusal to cooperate," which it linked to the company's policy to maintain user privacy and encrypted messaging.
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