French prosecutors say CEO of Telegram messaging app released from custody and will appear in court

PARIS — French prosecutors on Wednesday released Telegram CEO Pavel Durov from police custody after four days of questioning over allegations that the messaging app is 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 Pavel Durov’s police detention and will bring him before a judge for a first appearance and possible charges,” a statement from the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office said.

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.

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International reactions to Durov’s arrest

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 your 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 “deeply 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.”

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Telegram’s response and Durov’s citizenship

In a statement posted on its platform after Durov’s arrest, Telegram said it complies with EU law and that its moderation “falls within industry standards and is continuously improving.”

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the misuse of that platform,” Telegram’s message read. “Almost a billion users worldwide use Telegram as a means of communication and as a source of essential 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 St. Kitts and Nevis.

The UAE Foreign Ministry said 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 provided with “all necessary opportunities for his legal defense,” adding that Moscow “stands ready to provide all necessary assistance and support” to the Telegram CEO as a Russian citizen.

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

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History and Controversies of Telegram

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 is still a popular news source in Ukraine, too. Both media and officials use it to share information about the war and to 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 fined Telegram operators $5 million for failing to establish a legal way to report illegal content or name an entity in Germany to receive official communications, both of which are required under German laws regulating major online platforms.