After a French court changed his bail terms Pavel Durov departed to Dubai. On August 24 authorities arrested Durov in Paris before charging him with working with drug rings and organized criminals.
Public Response
An open letter from Telegram users generated broad disapproval regarding the arrest. Both Edward Snowden and Elon Musk voiced their opposition to the arrest by viewing it as an assault against free speech.
Bail Modification
Durov received his release from arrest on August 28 by giving €5 million bail while agreeing to stay inside France. The request of Durov to travel outside France was honored by a judge on March 13 through an official decision. His planned travel to Dubai generates legal uncertainties because the Russian-born businessman has citizenship in France along with Russia and the UAE.
Market Impact
The crypto market reacted favorably to the development which caused TON token prices to grow by 20% within a 24-hour period. The TON Foundation exhibited support for Durov’s commitment to protect online speech freedom along with user privacy.
Arrest and Charges
A change in legal direction occurred in Durov’s case even though Telegram has yet to acknowledge his visit to Dubai. Having his term completed Durov declared that “any developer will stop creating new tools when facing the risk of personal accountability.
