Azerbaijan condemns France's persecution of Telegram CEO, pan-African activist for political views

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada criticized the recent detention of Pavel Durov, founder of the Telegram social network, and Kemi Seba, an activist known for defending the rights of African peoples, by French law enforcement in Paris.

According to Hajizada, the arrest of Durov and Seba constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Ministry’s press service.

"It is unacceptable to subject these individuals to persecution based on their political views and convictions. France must conduct the relevant investigation in a fully transparent and fair manner, and the international community must be informed accordingly," the spokesperson added.

"We believe that such politically motivated arrests in France must be investigated and assessed by the relevant institutions of the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe," he said, calling for a thorough examination of the case.

The international community is now awaiting a formal response from France and its institutions regarding these concerns.

Notably, Kemi Seba is a prominent activist and one of the leading critics of French neo-colonialism. He recently participated in a two-day international conference titled "French Neo-Colonial Policy in Africa," in Baku on October 2-3, where he talked about the devastating impact of French colonial policy on the African continent.

Seba, who is also the founder of the international pan-African organisation "Urgences Panafricanistes", arrived in Paris on October 10 from Spain. Having had his French citizenship revoked, he entered the country using a Nigerian diplomatic passport, issued to him by the military government, as he serves as a special advisor to the interim leader, Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani.

On October 14, he was arrested in Paris along with Hery Djehuty, the organisation's coordinator, although the specific reasons for his arrest have not been disclosed.

The specific reasons for his arrest have not been disclosed.

Séba has been campaigning against imperialism for 25 years and has observed racial discrimination towards Black individuals.

Despite numerous efforts by French authorities to silence him, Séba remains steadfast in his activism. In response to the revocation of his citizenship, the president of Niger appointed him as a special advisor, and several African nations have provided him with a diplomatic passport.

Seba boasts a considerable social media following, with 1.3 million followers on Facebook, 370,000 on TikTok, 306,000 on Instagram, 280,000 on X, and 230,000 on YouTube.

Founder and CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov was detained on August 24 evening at Paris-Le Bourget Airport, after arriving in France from Azerbaijan.

French authorities accuse Durov of alleged involvement in drug trafficking, crimes against children, and fraud, linking these allegations to the lack of moderation on Telegram. The entrepreneur was taken into custody. 

By Khagan Isayev