DISINFO: The hand of the US Democratic Party is behind Pavel Durov’s arrest
SUMMARY
Despite Emmanuel Macron’s claims, the arrest of Pavel Durov has a political origin and reason. A judge did not woke up one morning and said: ‘I will arrest Mr. Durov’. These are clear instructions taken from states. The hand of the US State Department, Justice Department and Democratic Party is behind all this. France and Germany have become loyal vassals of what the US master orders them. All this looks like it was not even a decision from France, much less from a French judge.
RESPONSE
Conspiracy theory not backed by any evidence. There is nothing indicating that the US is involved in any way in the arrest of Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov. France is a sovereign country and this disinformation story aims to promote a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about lost sovereignty and other Western countries as US vassals.
French authorities have imposed charges against Pavel Durov for 12 different crimes, including complicity in the distribution of child pornography and the selling of drugs, money laundering, and a refusal to cooperate with law enforcement. One of the main charges is Telegram’s inability to prevent sex crimes against minors on the platform. According to The Washington Post, Jean-Michel Bernigaud, Secretary-General of Ofmin (a French police agency focused on preventing violence against minors), stated that “at the heart of the case is the absence of moderation and cooperation on the part of the platform, especially in the fight against child sex crimes.”
Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets frequently accuse the US of being behind all kind of events and developments around the world, without providing any evidence.
See other examples of disinformation narratives regarding the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France, such as claims that the US is behind Telegram app founder’s arrest, that the West arrested Telegram app founder Durov because it failed in its fight against Russia, that Durov arrest is an attempt to shut down Telegram app because it tells the truth, or that the real reason for Telegram founder Pavel Durov’s arrest is to cover up events in Palestine.