The modern digital world has opened new horizons for communication, but at the same time it has presented us with many challenges related to the protection of personal data. One of the key players in this field is Telegram, a messenger that has gained popularity thanks to its encryption and privacy standards. Its founder, Pavlo Durov, always defended the idea of freedom of speech and the inviolability of personal data, which repeatedly put his company under pressure from the governments of various countries.
Telegram was created by Pavel Durov in 2013 after he was forced to leave Russia due to pressure from authorities seeking to control his previous project VKontakte. The main advantage of Telegram is end-to-end encryption, which ensures the confidentiality of messages and protects them from unauthorized access. This technology became the foundation for the popularity of the messenger among users who value their privacy.
Recent cases of detention or harassment of Pavel Durov can be seen as an attempt to put pressure on his business in order to gain access to users’ personal data. This raises the question of the legality of such actions by the state and their compliance with international standards for the protection of human rights.
According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, every person has the right to privacy, and no body has the right to interfere with this right without an appropriate legal basis. Attempts to access encrypted data without a proper court order violate basic human rights and may be considered illegal.
The case of Pavel Durov is part of a wider trend in which governments are trying to tighten their control over the digital space, using various legal and illegal mechanisms. Such actions can have serious consequences for human rights activities, especially in countries with authoritarian regimes.
Human rights activists are calling for caution when it comes to interference in the activities of technology companies that protect users’ privacy rights. It is important that such actions are based solely on legal grounds and do not become a tool of political or economic pressure.
As a human rights defender, I believe that the detention or prosecution of Pavel Durov, as well as the pressure on Telegram to gain access to users’ confidential information, is a serious violation of human rights. This not only threatens freedom of speech, but also undermines trust in digital technologies, which have become an integral part of our lives.
Privacy rights must be protected and ensure that no state can use force or pressure to achieve its goals by violating the fundamental rights of citizens. Only in this way will we be able to maintain the balance between security and freedom in the modern world.
Author: Kostyantyn Kryvopust, human rights defender
