Published on: August 29, 2024
Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, has been released from police custody after 4 days of questioning from French authorities about allegations that the app is facilitating illegal activities.
“An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov’s police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment,” a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
The Russian-born tech entrepreneur, who is a French citizen, will appear before a French court, where prosecutors may seek to indict him over the allegations against Telegram.
Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations. The inquiry includes accusations that Telegram has been used for selling child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud, and facilitating organized crime transactions.
Additionally, the platform faces allegations of refusing to share information or documents with investigators when legally obligated to do so.
The Paris prosecutor’s office stated that Durov’s police custody was extended on Monday evening for up to 48 hours, after which authorities must either release or charge him. If Durov is charged, judges will have to consider his flight risk when deciding on potential pretrial detention, as required by French law. Considering that he holds multiple nationalities, this risk might be considered pretty high.
Durov’s arrest has sparked harsh international scrutiny, with many critics alleging it’s an attack against free speech. French President Emmanuel Macron defended the arrest, pushing back against claims that it’s about curtailing free speech but about addressing serious allegations of criminal activity.
“[F]reedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights,” Macron posted on X.
Telegram said in a statement on the platform that “[i]t is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”
“Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all,” the statement added.