Telegram founder Pavel Durov expected to learn fate after arrest in France

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, will learn on Wednesday whether he will face charges or even pre-trial detention after he was arrested by French authorities over the weekend for alleged violations against the messaging app.

Durov, 39, was arrested Saturday night at Le Bourget airport outside Paris. Judicial authorities have repeatedly extended his initial detention period, but it can last up to 96 hours.

As part of an investigation opened confidentially on July 8, Durov is being investigated on suspicion of 12 violations related to failing to restrict extremist content on Telegram, sources close to the probe said.

The tech mogul founded Telegram as he was in the process of leaving his native Russia a decade ago. Its growth has been exponential, with the app now boasting more than 900 million users.

Durov is an enigmatic figure who rarely speaks in public. He is a citizen of Russia, France and the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is based.

Forbes magazine estimates his current fortune at $15.5 billion. However, he proudly promotes the virtues of an ascetic life, taking ice baths and abstaining from alcohol and coffee.

Many questions have been asked about the timing and circumstances of Durov’s arrest, particularly why he flew to Paris apparently knowing that there was a warrant out for his arrest.

In a post on X responding to what he called “false information” about the case, French President Emmanuel Macron said Durov’s arrest “took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation.”

“It is not a political decision in any way. It is up to the judges to decide,” he wrote in a highly unusual commentary on a court case.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the allegations were very serious and therefore “no less serious evidence” was needed.

“Otherwise, this would be a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication and, I might even say, directly intimidate the director of a large company,” he said.

The UAE, meanwhile, said it was “closely monitoring” the case and had requested consular access for its citizens.

Among those expressing support for Durov is tech magnate and X CEO Elon Musk, who posted comments under the hashtag #FreePavel.

Once the initial 96-hour interrogation period is over, the investigating judge can release Durov or file charges and remand him in custody.

He could also be released under judicial supervision, which could include restrictions on his movement.

Durov, who has lived in Dubai in recent years, arrived in Paris from the Azerbaijani capital Baku and planned to dine in the French capital, a source close to the matter said.

He was accompanied by a bodyguard and a personal assistant who always travel with him, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was in Baku on August 18-19 for a state visit to Azerbaijan. However, Peskov denies that the two met.

France’s OFMIN, an agency charged with preventing violence against minors, has issued an arrest warrant for Durov as part of a preliminary investigation into alleged crimes including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and promoting terrorism.

Telegram responded with the following: “Durov has nothing to hide and travels regularly around Europe”.

“Telegram complies with EU law, including the Digital Services Act. Its moderation falls within industry standards,” it added.

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the misuse of that platform.”

Telegram positions itself as a “neutral” alternative to US platforms, which have been criticized for their commercial exploitation of users’ personal data.

It has also played an important role since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has been actively used by politicians and commentators on both sides of the war.

However, critics accuse the site of hosting often illegal content, ranging from extreme sexual images to disinformation and drug services.