Russian legislator Maria Butina has made controversial statements regarding the reported arrest of Pavel Durov, the creator of the popular messaging platform Telegram. Butina, a member of the ruling United Russia party, asserts that Durov's detention is evidence of a broader campaign against free expression in Europe.
"Pavel Durov is a political prisoner - a victim of a witch-hunt by the West. The arrest of Pavel Durov means there is no freedom of speech - it means that freedom of speech in Europe is dead."
Butina, who previously served 15 months in a U.S. prison for acting as an unregistered foreign agent, suggests that the arrest is an attempt to gain control over Telegram. She speculates that this move could lead to potential blackmail of Russia and the platform's users.
Pavel Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur, founded Telegram in 2013 after creating VKontakte, Russia's largest social network. Known for its emphasis on privacy and encryption, Telegram has grown to over 700 million monthly active users worldwide as of 2024. Durov, who left Russia in 2014 and became a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis, has been critical of Russian government policies and has refused to share user data with authorities.
The circumstances surrounding Durov's reported arrest remain unclear, and independent verification of the claims is pending. It's worth noting that Telegram has faced bans or restrictions in several countries, including Russia and Iran, due to its strong encryption and refusal to provide user data to governments.
Maria Butina, born in Barnaul, Russia, in 1988, has a controversial history of her own. She founded a Russian gun rights organization in 2011 and was later arrested in the United States in 2018. After pleading guilty to conspiracy charges and serving her sentence, she was deported back to Russia in October 2019. Upon her return, Butina became a TV host and later a member of the State Duma, representing the United Russia party, which has been the ruling party in Russia since 2003.
As this situation develops, it's crucial to approach the information with caution and seek verification from multiple sources. The implications of Durov's alleged arrest, if confirmed, could have significant ramifications for online privacy and freedom of expression globally.