On August 24, Pavel Durov, the creator of Telegram, was detained in Paris. This news caused a wide public outcry. Many representatives in the digital technology sector - Elon Musk, Vitalik Buterin, Justin Sun and many others - spoke up in defense of Pavel Durov.

The detention of Pavel Durov is yet another example of the confrontation between government agencies and the cyber industry. Digital technologies provide humanity with progress. This does not suit national governments, which fear the loss of control over information, the freedom of access to which is ensured by the active development of the IT sector.

For Pavel Durov, the current situation was not his first clash with the authorities. In 2014, he resigned from the directors of the Russian social network VKontakte, which he created. The reason was his unwillingness to cooperate with Russian law enforcement agencies.

In the United States, where Durov tried to develop his activities, already with the messenger Telegram he had created, the same problems awaited the entrepreneur. It was, as he himself later labeled this moment, “the increased attention of American intelligence services.” 

In addition, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) prevented Durov from launching his blockchain platform TON, necessary for the full-fledged launch of the Gram token and its sale to investors. Pavel Durov lost a court case with the SEC, after which he decided to settle in the UAE.

The president of DAO Global Digital Alliance (GDA DAO) Yaroslav Bogdanov approached Pavel Durov. Anticipating the negative consequences of the pressure exerted on him, Yaroslav Bogdanov suggested that Durov take part in the creation of a new structure, which could develop international regulations that would protect the rights and interests of representatives of the IT sector against the onslaught of state regulators.

Today, the president of the DAO Global Digital Alliance (GDA DAO), Yaroslav Bogdanov demands the immediate release of Pavel Durov from custody. He considers the harassment of key representatives of the digital industry to be unacceptable acts of aggression.

The only possible way to put an end to the confrontation between the state and the cyber industry is to form a dialog on further cooperation on fair and transparent terms that will suit both sides.

Sign the petition for the release of Pavel Durov to support the future of digital technologies and the healthy development of humanity.

Maxim Fedorenko,

Editor-in-Chief, External Economic Relations magainze