Telegram app CEO released; will appear in court

French prosecutors released on Wednesday Telegram CEO Pavel Durov from police custody after four days of questioning over allegations that the messaging app is being used for illegal activities.

Durov was arrested on Saturday at Le Bourget airport, outside Paris, as part of a judicial investigation opened last month into 12 alleged offences.

An investigating judge has ended the police detention of Pavel Durov and will bring him before a judge for a first appearance and possible charges, the Paris prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

Russian-born Durov, who holds French nationality, is accused of using his platform to distribute child abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud and complicity in organized crime transactions. Telegram also refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

Durov’s arrest in France has sparked outrage in Russia, with some officials calling it politically motivated and evidence of the West’s double standards on free speech. The outrage has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics because Russian authorities themselves tried to block the Telegram app in 2018 but failed, repealing the ban in 2020.

In Iran, where Telegram is widely used despite being officially banned after years of protests challenging the country’s Shiite theocracy, Durov’s arrest in France prompted comments from the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weighed in with veiled praise for France being tough on those who violate its governance of the internet.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that Durov’s arrest was not a political move but part of an independent investigation. Macron posted on X that his country is strongly committed to freedom of expression, but that freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.

Telegram said in a statement on its platform following Durov’s arrest that it complies with EU law and that its moderation is within industry standards and is continuously being improved.

It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the misuse of that platform, Telegram’s message said. Nearly a billion users worldwide use Telegram as a means of communication and as a source of vital information. We are waiting for a quick resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.

In addition to Russia and France, Durov also holds the nationality of the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The UAE Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it was closely monitoring the case and had asked France to “urgently provide all necessary consular services” to Durov.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he hopes Durov will be given all necessary opportunities for his legal defense, adding that Moscow stands ready to provide the Telegram CEO with all necessary assistance and support as a Russian citizen.

But the situation is complicated by the fact that he is also a French citizen, Peskov said.

Telegram, which claims to have nearly a billion users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his brother after he himself came under pressure from Russian authorities.

In 2013, he sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site he launched in 2006.

The company came under pressure when the Russian government took measures following the massive pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow in late 2011 and 2012.

Durov said authorities demanded that the site shut down online communities of Russian opposition activists. They later demanded that the site hand over personal data of users who participated in the 2013-2014 uprising in Ukraine that ultimately led to the ouster of a pro-Kremlin president.

Durov said in a recent interview that he had rejected these demands and left the country.

The protests prompted Russian authorities to clamp down on the digital world. Telegram and its pro-privacy rhetoric offered Russians a convenient way to communicate and share news.

Telegram also remains a popular news source in Ukrainewhere both media and officials use it to share information about the war and issue warnings about missiles and airstrikes.

Western governments have often criticized Telegram for its lack of content moderation, which experts say could allow the messaging app to be used for money laundering, drug trafficking and sharing material related to the sexual exploitation of minors.

In 2022, Germany imposed $5 million in fines on Telegram operators for failing to establish a legal way to report illegal content or to name an entity in Germany to receive official communications. Both are required under German laws regulating major online platforms

This story is from an external syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day assumes no responsibility or liability for the reliability, credibility, trustworthiness and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to modify, remove or delete the content (without notice) at its sole discretion for any reason