Major Scandal Unfolds: Emirates Accused of Spying on Telegram CEO
The Wall Street Journal has exposed a shocking UAE spying operation targeting Telegram founder Pavel Durov in 2017.
Citing anonymous sources, the newspaper reported that French and Emirati intelligence services had successfully hacked Durov’s iPhone.
The joint espionage operation, dubbed “Purple Music,” was reportedly initiated due to concerns over the Islamic State group’s use of Telegram, a private messaging platform, for recruitment and attack planning. This occurred years prior to Durov’s unexpected arrest in Paris over the weekend.
The newspaper cited an anonymous former French intelligence official who mentioned that France had been engaged in a “long-term effort” to “hack Telegram.” However, the official did not comment on the specific hacking of Durov’s phone.
It was not clear from the newspaper’s report whether the spies were still able to access Durov’s phone through the back door.
The newspaper also said there was no indication that the hacking of Durov’s phone played a role in his arrest on Saturday during a visit to the French capital, Paris.
The memo claims that “Telegram’s lack of moderation enabled it to become a hub for money laundering, drug trafficking, and the distribution of child abuse material,” according to a report by BFMTV.
Pavel Durov, 39, was detained late Saturday at Le Bourget airport near Paris on suspicion of 12 charges related to the failure to moderate illegal content on Telegram.
Two days after his arrest, the UAE’s foreign ministry released a statement, announcing that it was closely following Durov’s case, a UAE national. Observers viewed this move as an effort by Abu Dhabi to rehabilitate its image.
The ministry also stated that it had requested urgent consular services from the French government on Durov’s behalf.
In addition to his Russian nationality, Durov holds Emirati, French, Caribbean, and St Kitts and Nevis citizenship.
The UAE is actively undermining democracy beyond its borders, displaying a blatant disregard for the rule of law and individual rights by employing extensive espionage and surveillance tactics against critics and dissidents, both domestically and abroad.
In a joint article, European researchers Matthew Hedges and Rhys Davies highlighted that the Emirati regime has been using advanced electronic surveillance tools to infiltrate the phones, email accounts, and digital communications of activists, journalists, and even foreign government officials.
They emphasized that this electronic espionage infringes upon the privacy and rights of those targeted, while also posing a serious threat to the security and stability of democratic processes worldwide.
The UAE’s willingness to engage in such activities also points to a concerted effort to undermine the principles of freedom of expression, dissent, and accountability that are at the core of democratic societies.
The article states that this repression is transnational, extending far beyond the UAE’s borders through the use of undercover agents and mercenaries and the exploitation of international law enforcement mechanisms and institutions.
The UAE’s authoritarian agenda abroad reflects its tight control over politics at home, suppressing any form of dissent or disagreement.
Activists, journalists and ordinary Emiratis who dare to speak out against the regime face harsh punishments, including imprisonment, torture and other serious human rights violations.
The UAE’s repressive tactics are not limited to dissidents and activists, but include anyone seen as a threat to its interests, including international businessmen operating within the country’s borders.
