Chris Pawlowski, the CEO and founder of Rumble—a free speech platform positioned as an alternative to YouTube—has announced his departure from Europe following the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. Pawlowski revealed to Platform X that he left Europe due to the French authorities’ plans to pursue legal action against Rumble. The platform had previously restricted access in France after refusing to censor Russian news sources.

Pawlowski condemned the French government’s actions against Durov, who was detained on charges that Telegram failed to moderate content related to illegal activities, including drug trafficking and terrorism. If convicted, Durov could face up to 20 years in prison. Pawlowski pledged that Rumble would exhaust all legal avenues to defend free speech, which he described as a fundamental human right. He emphasized Rumble’s ongoing legal battle in French courts and called for Durov’s immediate release.

Durov’s arrest has shocked the tech community, with French authorities still in the preliminary stages of their investigation and no formal charges filed. Russian officials have demanded an explanation from France, and X owner Elon Musk criticized the arrest, warning that it poses a threat to free speech in Europe.