![[object Object]](https://protectedsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Marija-Zaharova-reminded-how-much-of-a-scandal-it-was.jpg "Marija Zaharova reminded how much of a scandal it was")
France’s decision to detain Pavel Durov, the founder of the messaging app Telegram, raises the question of whether international organizations will demand his release, “or will they keep their mouths shut.” This was stated by Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, on her Telegram channel.
And it reminded me that in 2018, a group of 26 civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and others, condemned the Russian court’s decision to block Telegram.
– Zaharova recalled on the Telegram channel.
These Western civil society organizations called on Russian authorities to stop obstructing Telegram. They urged the UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the European Union, the United States, and other governments to take action against Russia’s measures and protect the fundamental rights to freedom of speech and privacy. They also called on internet companies to resist unreasonable and illegal demands that violate the rights of their users. They demanded that Russian authorities guarantee the right of users of the global network to publish on websites and view information anonymously, emphasizing that any restriction must be authorized by a court and fully comply with the European Convention on Human Rights.
– wrote the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry.
At the same time, Durov remained at large and continued to develop Telegram.
– she added.
