The Russian-born boss of the favored however controversial messaging app was sensationally arrested at Le Bourget airport exterior Paris on August 24 | Picture credit score: Reuters
The arrest and indictment of Telegram founder Pavel Durov is a posh case that raises many human rights issues, the United Nations mentioned on Tuesday (3 September 2024).
The Russian-born boss of the favored however controversial messaging app was sensationally arrested at Le Bourget airport exterior Paris on August 24 and later charged with a litany of violations associated to the messaging app.
He was additionally banned from leaving France.
Quite a few questions have been raised concerning the timing and circumstances of Durov’s arrest, along with his supporters viewing the 39-year-old as a champion of free speech and his detractors as a menace who intentionally allowed Telegram to spiral uncontrolled.
“It is a very advanced case. It raises many human rights issues,” mentioned Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN Human Rights Workplace.
At a information convention, he mentioned the Geneva-based company was contemplating publishing a doc setting out “the parameters inside which these conditions must be analysed.”
He additionally cited the current blocking of X in Brazil, the place the nation’s Supreme Courtroom on Monday upheld a call by certainly one of its judges to droop the social media platform over alleged judicial violations.
Brazil’s suspension of X “additionally raises comparable issues concerning the obligation of states to make sure that social media platforms adjust to the legislation that enables freedom of expression,” however with sure restrictions, Shamdasani mentioned.
He known as for any restrictions to be “proportionate” and “according to worldwide human rights requirements.”
“We’re following this case and it’s troublesome for us to be extra particular presently” concerning the case and the fees in opposition to Durov, as a result of the UN Human Rights Workplace doesn’t have entry “to the whole info.”
He mentioned states ought to be capable to regulate platforms, which in flip ought to adjust to legal guidelines in keeping with worldwide human rights legislation.
“It’s crucial to deal with the rules of legality, necessity and proportionality, hate speech, incitement to hatred or violence and dangerous disinformation,” he mentioned.
The UN’s prime human rights official, Volker Turk, wrote to ‘X’ proprietor Elon Musk in November 2022, urging him to make respect for human rights a central side of the social community.
In an open letter, the corporate warned in opposition to the unfold of hate speech and misinformation and harassed the necessity to shield customers’ privateness.
