Post #10684

Pavel Durov Calls French Arrest "Friendly Fire," Deterring Business Associates Telegram founder Pavel Durov has characterized his recent arrest in France as "friendly fire," a move he believes has instilled fear among his business contacts regarding future visits to the country. Durov stated that Telegram has consistently aimed to be "the most friendly and promising partner for France" and has always been open to engaging with authorities. Given this, he viewed his detention as an attempt to "attack an ally," an action he argues severely tarnishes France's international image. As Durov himself put it, "It's as if they were trying to attack their ally. I was very surprised that this could happen. Because it's not only damaging to me and my company, but also to the image of France." According to the billionaire, this incident has made many of his startup-owning friends hesitant to travel to France, fearing that if such treatment can befall him, less prominent business figures might face even graver consequences