keneci Network
News • Science & Tech • Comedy
Emmanuel Macron Facing Backlash Over The Arrest Of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov By French Authorities
August 26, 2024
post photo preview

Days after French authorities detained Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, President Emmanuel denied that there was any political motive behind the arrestand claimed that France remains deeply committed to free speech -- a claim that drew swift condemnations and mockery on social media, with many pointing to the 'kitchen sink' of allegations by prosecutors against Durov for refusing to censor users of Telegram.

"I have seen false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov," Macron wrote on X, Monday. "France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so. In a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights. It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law. The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter."

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau has revealed in a statement that Durov was arrested as part of a probe into an unnamed person launched by the office's cybercrime unit on July 8.

The investigation is over suspected complicity in various crimes including running an online platform that allows illicit transactions, child pornography, drug trafficking and fraud, as well as the refusal to communicate information to authorities, money laundering and providing cryptographic services to criminals, the statement said. In other words, Durov is being investigated for crimes others may have engaged in using his messaging app.

Critics slam French authorities' hypocrisy pointing out that Mark Zuckerberg's Meta platforms including Instagram and Whatsapp have in several instances, been exposed as hosting such prohibited content. Legal experts argue that it's absurd to arrest a platform owner in the manner that Durov was, over the actions of users of the platform.

Chris Pavlovski, CEO of YouTube rival Rumble, also called out Macron's claim that he's committed to upholding the principles of free speech.

"When you say you are committed to freedom of expression, you are lying," Pavlovski wrote on X. "We have a letter from France that proves this, without a doubt. We had to shutdown Rumble in France because you have NO committment to freedom of expressionWhen you say you are committed to freedom of expression, you are lying. We have a letter from France that proves this, without a doubt. ...We had to shutdown Rumble in France because you have NO commitment to freedom of expression."

Durov, who was arrested over the weekend, can be held in custody until Wednesday, according to prosecutors.

The arrest comes as left-wing leaders in the west are ramp up their crackdown on free speech online, following in the footsteps of authoritarian regimes in countries like North Korea and China.

d5lrKXtTf_USXlYelMUOhoJFIalXXs0K53008rw_9i1S6xqFRdGCOEYn1ilrZ4O2eBbSceYDMF1nVUVIHtWeYE3VVJl8Q-aEcT_1AYUWa0oSW7_DpWHXljb9fI80vYC_LQ=w1280
5n8OpYQTUWxafvgIt3MoVIAqhWPXO0r2QD9qEOMT97126QijQ15mOH0dkzE5CDWM6VrnxCdh72nckrIerBKzbIKRyBmVdE_MSqDVJRHY-7UHISjEPUh_8EfgUYWl-XVviw=w1280

Left-wing politicians and bureaucrats have intensified their effort in recent years to censor content online and criminalize speech on social media platforms.

Zuckerberg admitted in a letter Monday, to the US House Judiciary Committee, that President Joe Biden administration "pressured" Facebook to censor Americans; and that the platform throttled the explosive Hunter Biden laptop story during the 2020 election campaign season. He had expressed his regrets for colluding with the FBI.

community logo
Join the keneci Network Community
To read more articles like this, sign up and join my community today
0
What else you may like…
Videos
Posts
Articles
SpaceX Starlink Internet Satellites

With Starlink internet, data is continuously being sent between a ground dish and a Starlink satellite orbiting 550km above. Furthermore, the Starlink satellite zooms across the sky at 27,000 km/hr! MORE VIDEOS ON KENECI NETWORK RUMBLE CHANNEL: https://rumble.com/c/Keneci

00:28:08
Elon Musk, DOGE Speak On Waste And Fraud

US Department of Government Efficiency Services (USDS) led by Elon Musk speak on the "mind-boggling" fraud and waste in UInited States federal government

00:00:45
January 17, 2025
SpaceX Launches Starship 7th Test Flight

SpaceX successfully executed its second-ever “chopsticks” catch of a Super Heavy booster (or Booster 14) using the “Mechazilla” launch tower on Thursday(Jan. 16), during the seventh uncrewed test flight of the company's 123-meter Starship rocket. However, the megarocket's upper stage(or Ship 33) was lost approximately 8.5 minutes into the flight in a “rapid unscheduled disassembly(RUD)” or explosion

00:10:30
Welcome to Keneci Network!

Join the conversations!

December 09, 2025
Bitcoin White Paper By Satoshi Nakamoto

Bitcoin white paper

Bitcoin_White_Paper.pdf
September 17, 2024
Charges Against Sean 'Diddy' Combs In Grand Jury Indictment

The rapper was charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution in the indictment unsealed Tuesday(Sept. 17)

Combs-Indictment-24-Cr.-542.pdf
post photo preview
Trump Backs Down From Planned Military Strikes On Iran, Amid US General's Warning About Insufficient Assets To Defend Israel

President Donald Trump has called off planned U.S. military strikes on Iran. In a Truth Social post early morning UTC Sunday, he claimed Iran and other Middle Eastern countries asked him to cancel the planned operation, after the “perimeters of a deal” were agreed to.

Trump wrote, "The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.

"This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat. Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.

"The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

The announcement came a day after he threatened that the U.S. military will pummel Iran, and reportedly target the country's civilian infrastructure. “We will be hitting them very hard,” Trump said during a televised press conference Friday at Camp David. “And you know at some point, they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore.’”

Trump's reversal comes amid report that Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, head of U.S. European Command (EUCOM), reportedly privately warned the Pentagon that he lacks sufficient naval forces to protect Israel from Iranian ballistic missiles, stating he would be forced to prioritize the U.S. homeland without an additional Navy destroyer.

Read full Article
post photo preview
US General Warns Pentagon About Insufficient Forces To Defend Israel, 'Forced To Choose' Defense Of US Homeland

Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, head of U.S. European Command (EUCOM), reportedly privately warned the Pentagon that he lacks sufficient naval forces to protect Israel from Iranian ballistic missiles, stating he would be forced to prioritize the U.S. homeland without an additional Navy destroyer. This warning, sent in a written letter, highlights severe strain on U.S. military resources as the conflict with Iran enters its fifth month.

Pentagon officials described the memo as a standard "operational risk warning" that commanders issue when competing for scarce global military assets.

The U.S. Navy has five destroyers based in Rota, Spain, with a sixth expected later in the year, but maintenance backlogs due to high operational tempo have reduced availability. Currently, two destroyers are in the eastern Mediterranean, three are in Rota, and one is in the Red Sea, with another fleet operating near Iran.

Sustained engagements shooting down Iranian and Houthi ballistic missiles have rapidly consumed Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) and SM-6 interceptors faster than U.S. defense industrial lines can produce them.

U.S. forces, including THAAD and naval interceptors, have shouldered the bulk of defending Israel from Iranian attacks, often more frequently than Israeli systems. Supplies of key defensive weapons, including Patriot missiles, are reportedly depleted.

EUCOM's forward naval footprint relies on five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers based out of Rota, Spain. Two destroyers—the USS Paul Ignatius and USS Roosevelt—were operating in the Mediterranean Sea to shield Israel. Three others (USS Arleigh Burke, USS Bulkeley, and USS Oscar Austin) were anchored at Rota due to maintenance backlogs resulting from continuous operations.

Simultaneously, the U.S. Navy has deployed two aircraft carrier strike groups (USS George H.W. Bush and USS Abraham Lincoln) along with 11 destroyers in the Arabian Sea, plus the USS Gonzalez in the Red Sea to protect commercial shipping from Houthi strikes.

EUCOM must balance defending Israel with maintaining readiness against potential Russia incursions into NATO territory, as Russia also possesses ballistic missiles capable of striking the U.S. mainland. Keeping destroyers locked into anti-missile duty near Israel dilutes EUCOM’s ability to cover NATO contingencies.

Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz and Trump administration imposing a naval blockade of Iranian ports, have forced the Navy to divide assets among the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Arabian Sea, complicating defense commitments.

The warning comes as the Trump administration reportedly plans further escalation, including strikes on Tehran’s electricity infrastructure. The collapse of ceasefire talks has led to near-daily missile exchanges, increasing inflationary concerns and political pressure ahead of the 2026 midterm elections in the U.S.

At Camp David, President Trump told reporters that Iran’s military had been "decimated" but criticized Iranian negotiators as "dishonorable and dishonest" after renewed missile fire targeted U.S. positions in Jordan. When asked if Americans should expect continued back-and-forth military strikes, he acknowledged: "A little bit... We just want to win. They cannot have a nuclear weapon."

Read full Article
post photo preview
Israeli Airstrikes Kill At Least 4 In Gaza, Day After Trump Announced 'Historic' Hamas Disarmament Deal

Israeli airstrikes killed at least four people in Gaza on Saturday, just hours after Donald Trump and his Board of Peace announced a "historic" roadmap for the complete disarmament of Hamas and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces.

“Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY.”

The agreement stipulates that disarmament and withdrawal must occur in "lockstep," yet Israel has not officially accepted the plan and continues military operations.

Tensions escalated when notorious Jewish extremist and Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir labeled the agreement "unacceptable," insisting that "assassinations in Gaza must continue." Consequently, the IDF struck multiple targets, including weapons depots and medical warehouses near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, killing civilians and wounding others.

The 14-point roadmap, finalized in Cairo with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, outlines a transition where Hamas decommissions weapons while the IDF gradually withdraws.

Key provisions of the agreement include:

Phased Disarmament: Hamas agrees to hand over heavy weapons to a new technocratic body, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), over an estimated 200 to 320 days.

Security Transition: An International Stabilization Force (ISF) and a new Palestinian police force will assume security responsibilities as Israeli troops pull back.

Verification: An international verification committee will monitor compliance, with the principle that "withdrawal must move in lockstep with decommissioning."

Despite the announcement, Israel has not formally accepted the deal, with officials demanding complete demilitarization as a precondition for any withdrawal. Ghazi Hamad of Hamas insisted the group would not disarm prior to Israeli withdrawal, calling the deal a draft pending Israeli commitment.

While Trump hailed the agreement as a "monumental step toward lasting peace," the violence underscored deep skepticism and unresolved conditions between the parties, signaling a potential stalemate in implementing the ceasefire.

Read full Article
See More
Available on mobile and TV devices
google store google store app store app store
google store google store app tv store app tv store amazon store amazon store roku store roku store
Powered by Locals