Public in Uzbekistan Concerned About Pavel Durov’s Arrest

The arrest of the founder of the popular Telegram messaging app, Pavel Durov, in Paris on August 24 on charges of illegal activities including enabling drug trafficking, crimes against minors, and fraud has caused public discussion and unease in Uzbekistan, where use of the platform is widespread. Durov’s visit to Uzbekistan in June highlighted the platform’s deep integration into daily life in the country. “Uzbekistan loves Telegram: over 70% of the country’s 37 million people are on Telegram, and their entire economy is run on our platform - every business in the country has a Telegram bot or channel. We are proud of this popularity and love Uzbekistan,” Durov stated during his visit. Across the nation, people are now worried that Telegram may be switched off, and are talking and writing about the need to choose an alternative messenger to share files and communicate. Comments such as “Free Durov” can be found under an abundance of news and social media posts, whilst another group of users believes that such an extensive network cannot be destroyed so easily. Political scientist Hamid Sadiq told the Firkat analytical program that Durov’s arrest could be part of a more extensive planned program. Describing Durov as Telegram's “face” and his brother Nikolai as its “brain,” Sadiq noted that no one has yet been able to crack Telegram's encryption, and today, the messenger continues to work without bans in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and even China. The political scientist describes Durov as an "anarchist," unlike Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Steve Jobs. Stating that Durov disagrees with Putin’s regime and pointing to the conflict with Vkontakte in Russia in 2014, Sadiq states that he considers the accusations against Durov to be absurd, and that Durov was granted French citizenship in 2021 “for his great political services.” As the situation develops, the impact of Durov’s arrest on Telegram’s future remains unclear. Yesterday, the Times of Central Asia reported on the reaction to this event in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Both the Russian and Ukrainian military use Telegram, with Russia’s war machine particularly reliant, and any cracks in its encryption could prove particularly disastrous to Russia’s war effort. However, as Telegram messages are not end-to-end encrypted as they are in Signal and WhatsApp – meaning they can be read by Telegram’s staff - the platform has been left open to requests to cooperate in the dissemination of data to state actors. It seems that what sets Telegram apart, attempting to bridge the gap between being a messenger app and a social media platform, may prove to be its downfall. As this story develops, it appears the public in Central Asia are right to have cause for concern.

How Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Have Reacted to Pavel Durov’s Arrest

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was arrested on August 24 at Le Bourget airport in Paris. He is suspected of illegal activities including enabling drug trafficking, crimes against minors, and fraud. His arrest has been met with shock around the world, especially in countries where censorship and internet control remain pressing. According to various sources, the French authorities suspect Durov of being involved in activities related to the distribution of illegal content through the Telegram messenger. The investigation concerns materials related to extremism, copyright infringement, and alleged assistance to criminal groups. The investigation lasted several months. In response, Telegram said that it has always strictly complied with the law, and is ready to cooperate with French authorities to clarify the situation, expressing hope for a fair investigation and Durov's speedy release. In Kazakhstan, where Durov has long been known for his stance against censorship, his arrest has not gone unnoticed. The Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, Zhaslan Madiev, made a statement that said: “We had a positive experience interacting with the Telegram team. We have often successfully and promptly resolved issues related to the leakage of personal data, the fight against drug trafficking, and the suppression of other illegal activities in the messenger. The Telegram team has always demonstrated a willingness to cooperate to ensure the safety of citizens while remaining true to its principles of protecting privacy and freedom of speech.” He also noted that on his last visit to Kazakhstan, Pavel Durov became one of the trustees of the IQanat project, which aims to support rural children in Kazakhstan. The project has awarded 12 grants worth $365,000. Madiev continued: “He did not just allocate money but personally participated in studying the educational process, selecting children, familiarizing himself with their lives. I am grateful to Pavel's team for caring, and his sincere interest in the development of the children. We hope for a speedy resolution of this situation.” The Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan also expressed support for Durov, calling on the French authorities to ensure respect for his fundamental rights and freedoms, and to conduct an objective investigation into the case. “The detention of Telegram founder Pavel Durov has caused concern among all those who fight for freedom, democracy, and the principles of free speech. It is important to take into account that in several countries where officially registered independent democratic media regularly face persecution or cease to exist at all, where blocking of websites is regularly practiced, Telegram, created by Pavel Durov, is currently almost the only source of bringing to the public objective and reliable information free from censorship,” the statement said. The Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan recalled that in 2018, Pavel Durov received an award from the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan, precisely for his principled position against censorship. His arrest could negatively affect freedom of speech and human rights in developing countries with fragile democracies. The response in Kyrgyzstan was more restrained than that of the Kazakhstani authorities. None...