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The arrest of Pavel Durov, CEO of the popular messaging platform Telegram, has sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency industry. Durov, detained by French authorities on allegations of facilitating illegal activities via Telegram, is now at the center of a heated debate about privacy and governmental overreach.
In response, the crypto community has rallied to support Durov, emphasizing the need for a collective effort to secure his release.
Uniting for Freedom: Crypto Leaders Sound the Alarm Over Durov’s Detention
Justin Sun, a significant figure in the crypto industry, proposed the formation of a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) dedicated to Durov’s legal defense. He called on the crypto community to unite under the banner of #FreePavel and pledged $1 million to support this initiative.
“We should show the cryptocurrency industry’s unity by organizing a #FreePavel DAO to help Telegram founder Pavel Durov legally gain freedom,” Sun declared.
His proposal has drawn widespread attention, and other industry leaders have expressed their support. For instance, Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, highlighted the broader implications for software and communication freedom in Europe.
“I’ve criticized Telegram before for not being serious with encryption. But (given the info available so far: the charge seems to be just being ‘unmoderated’ and not giving up people’s data), this looks very bad and worrying for the future of software and comms freedom in Europe. […] This is why we need open source and formal verification of security properties,” Buterin remarked.
Similarly, Edward Snowden, a prominent IT systems expert and advocate for privacy, condemned the arrest. He framed it as a violation of basic human rights.
“The arrest of Durov is an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. I am surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means of gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France but the world,” Snowden stated.
Resistance Dog (REDO) Returns After Durov’s Arrest
Durov’s arrest has also reignited the Resistance Dog movement, a campaign symbolizing the fight against censorship. The Resistance Dog, or REDO, featuring a dog in a hood, was originally crafted by Durov when he faced pressure from the Russian government in 2018. This symbol emerged during a critical standoff when the Russian government tried to block Telegram for not providing backdoor access to its encrypted messages.
Today, it stands as a powerful symbol of defiance and the broader struggle for digital privacy. Various projects within TON ecosystem, such as the popular tap-to-earn game Yescoin, have updated their logos and profile pictures to feature the iconic REDO symbol.
The arrest has also significantly impacted the crypto market. Toncoin (TON), the cryptocurrency linked to Telegram, experienced a sharp decline in value, dropping to as low as $5.31. However, the price has slightly recovered, now trading at $5.72. In contrast, the REDO token, associated with the Resistance Dog movement, has seen an over 173% increase in value, now priced at $0.7789.