Pavel Valeryevich Durov, the founder of Telegram, was arrested by the French government on August 24, 2024. The French authorities cited the misuse of Telegram for criminal activities or terrorism as the reason for this action. Pavel has been a staunch advocate for freedom of expression and personal privacy throughout his career. This arrest challenges the principles of freedom of expression and threatens to undermine individual privacy. We urge the French government to release Pavel immediately.