Moscow calls on Western human rights organizations over Durov detention
Date
8/26/2024 7:03:36 AM
(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has called on international human rights organizations to take a stand regarding the recent arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France, questioning whether they will apply the same scrutiny to Paris as they did to Moscow in the past.
Durov, who was detained at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday, faces charges related to allegations of insufficient content moderation on Telegram, which French authorities claim has facilitated criminal activities. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sunday evening.
In a statement posted on Telegram, Zakharova highlighted a previous instance in 2018 when 28 NGOs, including prominent organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, and Reporters Without Borders, condemned a Russian court’s decision to block Telegram within the country. These groups criticized Moscow for creating obstacles to Telegram's operations and urged various international bodies—including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the European Union, and the United States—to protect the rights of users to freely publish and consume information online.
Zakharova reminded these organizations of the legal disagreements between Moscow and Telegram concerning the app's encryption system, noting that despite these issues, Durov remained at liberty and continued to develop the platform. She questioned whether the same level of advocacy and pressure will now be applied to France in light of Durov's arrest, underscoring what she sees as a double standard in the treatment of global human rights issues.
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