France Detains Telegram Founder Pavel Durov for Alleged Offences
Paris – The founder of popular messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, was arrested and detained for questioning in France on Saturday, sparking outrage among tech moguls and rights advocates. The 39-year-old entrepreneur is being held in custody for a second day, accused of failing to curb criminal activity on his platform.
According to sources close to the investigation, the initial period of detention can last up to 96 hours, after which a judge can decide to free Durov or press charges and remand him in custody. Durov’s wealth, estimated at $15.5 billion by Forbes, has also raised eyebrows in the tech community.
The controversy surrounds Durov’s presence in France, where he was allegedly wanted for questioning. Telegram’s response to the arrest maintains that Durov has “nothing to hide” and travels frequently in Europe, emphasizing the company’s commitment to EU laws and moderation standards.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Elon Musk have both expressed their support for Durov, with Musk using his social media platform to call for Durov’s release. Edward Snowden, the US whistleblower, has condemned the detention, describing it as an “assault on basic human rights.”
The dispute is a significant blow to Durov’s reputation, which has already faced criticism over Telegram’s handling of extremist content and disinformation. Telegram’s popularity has also grown partly due to its ease of use for broadcasting videos and other content.
Despite his detention, Durov’s statement on his mission in life, in an interview with Tucker Carlson in April, remains unchanged: “My mission in life was to allow other people to also become free… and using the platforms that we created my hope was that they could express their freedoms. This is the mission of Telegram.”
The drama surrounding Durov’s arrest has raised questions about the consequences of hosting illegal content on his platform and the extent to which he will cooperate with French authorities. One question remains: why did Durov fly into France, knowing he was wanted for questioning? Perhaps, as one source suggested, he had a feeling of impunity.
