Elon Musk warns 'It's Telegram today, It'll be X tomorrow' after Pavel Durov's arrest

Musk raises concerns about censorship in Europe, "It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme."

Elon Musk has voiced his strong disapproval of European authorities following the arrest of Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of Telegram.

Musk described the incident as an attack on free speech and demanded justice for Durov in a series of posts.

In response to a statement by American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy that "It's Telegram today. It'll be X tomorrow," Musk agreed, stating, "he's right."

Musk also tweeted, "POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme,” highlighting his concerns about growing censorship in the region.

Durov, a 39-year-old Russian-born entrepreneur with dual French and UAE citizenship, was detained at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday after arriving on a private jet from Azerbaijan.

His arrest was part of a preliminary investigation by French authorities into Telegram’s moderation practices, amid allegations that the platform has enabled various crimes due to inadequate content moderation and insufficient cooperation with law enforcement.

According to Reuters, Durov's arrest was based on an outstanding warrant in France. The investigation is led by a specialized cybersecurity unit and the national anti-fraud police, under the supervision of a judge with expertise in organized crime.

Following the arrest, the Russian government issued a warning to France, demanding that Durov be afforded his legal rights.

Russia's foreign ministry also requested access to Durov, despite his French citizenship. Russian lawmaker Maria Butina labeled Durov a 'political prisoner,' claiming his arrest was part of a Western 'witch-hunt.'

In response, Telegram released a statement asserting that it complies with European Union laws, including the Digital Services Act.

The company defended Durov, stating that he has nothing to hide and frequently travels across Europe.

Telegram rejected claims that the platform or its owner should be held accountable for any misuse of the service, reaffirming its commitment to user privacy and free speech.

Founded by Durov in 2013 after leaving Russia due to government pressure to shut down opposition groups on VK, Telegram has grown into one of the most influential messaging apps, with close to 1 billion users.

The platform has played a crucial role during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, providing unfiltered content from both sides of the conflict.

However, its rising popularity has drawn scrutiny from European governments over concerns about security and data breaches.