According to media reports, Macron, who actively uses Telegram himself, said that Durov’s arrest was in no way a political matter. The businessman was detained as part of an ongoing investigation, and the court should decide on the case.
The investigation that led to the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov is being conducted against “unspecified people.” What else is going on in this case?
Durov was taken to court, where a decision will be made on whether to bring charges against him. The current 12 charges previously attributed to him may not apply to him at all. According to Reuters, the prosecutor’s office did not say what crime Durov is suspected of committing. Moreover, the statement refers to an unnamed person.
With Mini App growing in popularity on Telegram, the TON ecosystem is likely to continue growing, as it is clear that it brings great value to the crypto community. Durov’s arrest could become a notable precedent for cryptocurrency supporters in different parts of the world to unite in support of TON. However, there are no signs of recovery yet — TON is trading at .45.
This operation was launched amid concerns from the French authorities that Telegram was allegedly actively used to sell drugs and commit cybercrimes and by Islamic State militants to recruit new supporters.
Despite the arrest of the messenger’s founder, investors are still interested in TON-based tokens, for example, the DOGS token was listed on Aug. 26.
Special operations of France and the UAE to open Durov’s iPhone
“The overall investigation is at this stage directed against unspecified people.”
Meanwhile, a bot has appeared on Telegram to collect signatures for Durov’s release. The bot’s authors stated that the arrest of the messenger’s founder is unacceptable.
According to media reports, arrest warrants for Pavel Durov, as well as his brother Nikolai, were issued in France on charges including conspiracy in the possession and distribution of child pornography back in March. Politico reports that Nikolai is currently wanted in France.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that the French special services, together with their colleagues from the United Arab Emirates, organized an operation codenamed Purple Music in 2017, during which they hacked Durov’s iPhone.
Toncoin (TON), used for transactions within Telegram, reacted to the news of Durov’s arrest by falling by almost 20%.
Macron turned out to be a Telegram lover
“Macron has been a Telegram user since the early days of his first presidential campaign. Nearly a decade later, the app remains widely used by both cabinet members and political officials of all ranks and parties, particularly within pro-Macron circles.”
In addition, Telegram is also developing an ecosystem of crypto games operating on the TON blockchain network. Among the most successful are Notcoin and Hamster Kombat, which previously launched #FreeDurov cards.
What will happen to TON after Durov’s arrest?
The report also says many famous people, including Elon Musk and Vitalik Buterin.
However, in 2018, Durov met with French President Emmanuel Macron for a private dinner, during which he received an offer from the head of the republic to move Telegram’s headquarters to Paris, which he refused.
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The agency recalled that on Aug. 28, French judges must decide whether to release the Telegram founder or launch an official investigation. At the same time, an official investigation does not imply guilt and does not necessarily lead to a trial. In addition, it can last for years before being transferred to court.
