Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino joined the many voices calling for the release of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.
French law enforcement arrested Durov at Paris airport, and the price of TonCoin (TON) plummeted following the news.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said in a post on X that Durov's arrest was disturbing and that society should not “lose the fight for free speech.”
“The arrest of Pavel Durov for enabling free speech through Telegram is extremely worrying. If our society loses the fight for freedom of speech and communication, then nothing else will matter and our future will be bleak,” Ardoino wrote.
Telegram on EU Compliance
Ardoino's comments on August 26th came following Durov's arrest in France over the weekend. In a statement on Monday, Telegram said it fully complies with European Union regulations and called it “absurd” to claim that misuse of the messaging app is the owner's responsibility.
“Telegram complies with EU law, including the Digital Services Act, and its moderation is within industry standards and is constantly being improved,” the platform said. Written“Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently to Europe. It is absurd to claim that the platform or its owners are responsible for the misuse of the platform,” the statement read.
Aside from Ardoino, other prominent figures in the crypto industry have criticized France’s arrest and detention of Durov.
TRON founder Justin Sun also voiced his support for the #FreeDurov initiative. In a statement, Sun said he would donate $1 million toward the goal, which will be donated to a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO).
In a show of unity in the crypto industry, we should organize a #FreePavel DAO to help Telegram founder Pavel Durov legally gain his freedom. If it gets enough community support and is created in a decentralized way, we will donate $1M. @elonmusk @MarioNawfal
— HE Justin Sun å™ã‚†æ™¨(Recruitment) (@justinsuntron) August 25, 2024
Following Durov's arrest, the price of Toncoin (TON) fell by over 16%, hitting a low of $5.30. Currently, TON is trading around $5.53.
