Support for Pavel Durov

In a show of support, over 2.7 million Telegram users have signed a letter advocating for the release of Pavel Durov, CEO and founder of the messaging app.

Users can sign the letter via a mini-app accessible through Telegram, launched by TON Society, a promoter of the TON blockchain.

“The arrest of Durov is a direct assault on the basic human right, the freedom of expression of everyone,” stated TON Society in the letter, condemning Durov’s arrest at a Paris airport over the weekend.

Durov was arrested as part of a cybercrime investigation involving allegations of providing “cryptology” services and tools, announced by the Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris.

On Wednesday, Durov was released from police custody and sent to court for questioning, with the possibility of indictment, according to French prosecutors.

TON Society describes itself as a community-focused organization aiming for the decentralization of TON. They asserted that “free speech is not a crime! Pavel Durov should be free.”

Prominent figures in the crypto community, including Elon Musk, TRON founder Justin Sun, and Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko, have also voiced their support for Durov.

Telegram claims approximately 1 billion users worldwide, although the number of bots remains uncertain.