TRON founder Justin Sun pledges $1 million to any Decentralized Autonomous Organization created to support freeing Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
Prominent supporters of Durov raised concerns about censorship after his detention in Europe.
The founder of TRON, Justin Sun, has promised to contribute $1 million to any Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) established in support of Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, being freed.
On Aug. 25, Sun tweeted:
“We should show the cryptocurrency industry’s unity by organizing a #FreePavel DAO to help Telegram founder Pavel Durov legally gain freedom. I’ll donate $1 million if it’s created in a decentralized way with enough community support.”
Justin Sun’s statement demonstrates the broad support Durov has garnered since his Aug. 23 detention in France.
The French Air Transport Gendarmerie (GTA) apprehended Durov, a French-Russian national after his private jet touched down at Le Bourget airport. Under a warrant that only applied if he was on French territory, he was designated as a wanted person in France.
Because Telegram is accused of not properly moderating content, Durov is suspected of involvement in crimes by French authorities. He might be prosecuted for his involvement in fraud, child exploitation, and drug trafficking.
FreePavel
Using the hashtag #FreePavel, well-known personalities in the cryptocurrency space, such as Robert Kennedy Jr., Elon Musk, and Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, expressed their support for Durov’s release over the weekend.
One of the first people to show support was Elon Musk, who tweeted the hashtag “#FreePavel.” In keeping with his demeanor, Musk afterward included a caustic remark about the growing censorship in Europe. He composed:
“POV: It’s 2030 in Europe, and you’re being executed for liking a meme.”
The arrest appears “very bad and worrying for the future of software and comms freedom in Europe,” according to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.
Robert F. Kennedy, who recently withdrew from the US presidential campaign to support former President Donald Trump, emphasized preserving free speech. He posted on Twitter:
“France just arrested Pavel Durov, founder & CEO of the encrypted, uncensored Telegram platform. The need to protect free speech has never been more urgent.”
Famous leaker Edward Snowden added that Durov’s detention was “an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association.” He continued, saying:
“I am surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world.”
