Telegram founder under fire: Legal battles and global concerns
Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has been released from police custody in France and transferred to a Paris court for hearings, ahead of a potential indictment, according to information from prosecutors provided to CNN.
This development occurred just days after his arrest at Bourget Airport in Paris.
Durov, who was born in Russia, exited the anti-fraud office outside Paris on Wednesday afternoon, apparently in a police vehicle, according to a CNN reporter on the scene. The Paris prosecutor's office stated that Durov will now undergo "preliminary questioning and a possible indictment" at the court in the French capital.
He was detained on Saturday at Bourget Airport in Paris based on a warrant related to the lack of content moderation on Telegram. Durov is under investigation for several offences, including allegations that his platform may have been complicit in facilitating scams, drug trafficking, and the distribution of child pornography.
Additionally, his app has come under critical scrutiny due to its use by terrorist groups and right-wing extremists. He was held in custody for up to 96 hours, according to French law, which is the maximum period of detention before formal charges must be filed.
Durov's arrest has sparked controversy regarding freedom of expression and has raised considerable concerns in Ukraine and Russia, where the app is highly popular and has become an essential communication tool during Moscow's war with its neighbour.
The Kremlin has attempted to calm fears in Russia concerning the app's future, with Russian government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov seeking to dispel calls to delete sensitive messages from the platform. French President Emmanuel Macron stated on Monday that the decision to bring charges against Durov "has nothing to do with politics," in a rare intervention by a French leader in judicial matters.
Telegram was launched in 2013 by Durov and his brother, Nikolai. The app now has over 950 million users, according to a recent post by Durov, making it one of the most widely used messaging platforms in the world. Conversations on the app are encrypted, which means that law enforcement agencies—and Telegram itself—have little control over what users post.
Durov, born in the Soviet Union in 1984, became known in his youth as the "Mark Zuckerberg of Russia." He left the country in 2014 and now resides in Dubai, where Telegram's headquarters are located, and he also holds French citizenship. According to Bloomberg, his wealth is estimated at approximately $9.15 billion, and Durov has maintained an extravagant, globetrotting lifestyle over the past decade.
Although his app has been praised by freedom of expression groups and has enabled private communication in countries with restrictive regimes, critics argue that it has become a safe haven for individuals coordinating illicit activities, including the terrorists who planned the Paris attacks in November 2015.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
