France charges against Telegram founder

Published 27 August 2024 at 10.15

Foreign. The popular messaging app Telegram's founder and CEO Pavel Durov is being investigated in France for having enabled the app's nearly one billion users to engage in drug trafficking, money laundering and the distribution of child pornography. It appears after his arrest.

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Pavel Durov is facing potential charges in France after being arrested by French authorities in Paris. Durov, who holds citizenship of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates and St. Kitts and Nevis, was arrested on Saturday after arriving in Paris from Azerbaijan by private jet.

The Paris prosecutor's office has released a list of a dozen possible charges against Durov – including aiding and abetting drug trafficking, money laundering and distribution of child pornography. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed on Monday that these charges are part of a wider criminal investigation launched last month. According to Beccuau, Durov is also being investigated for refusing to cooperate in investigations into cybercrime and financial crime.

Telegram, which has nearly one billion monthly users, has previously refused to release user data to law enforcement. Durov has claimed in previous interviews that this focus on user privacy has made him a target for intelligence services worldwide.

In a statement, Telegram has called the accusations “absurd” and argued that it is unreasonable to hold a platform or its owners responsible for how the platform is used. The company stresses that it complies with local laws, including the EU's DSA censorship law and sanctions against Russia.

Durov's arrest has drawn strong reactions from several prominent figures, including whistleblower Edward Snowden, who accuse France of trying to force access to private messages on Telegram. Elon Musk, journalist Tucker Carlson and Silicon Valley investor and Trump donor David Sacks have also criticized the arrest as an attack on free speech.

French President Emmanuel Macron stressed in a statement on Monday that Durov's arrest “is not a political decision' but not part of an ongoing legal investigation. Macron also claimed that France is deeply committed to protecting freedom of expression and innovation.

The investigation is expected to continue for a long time, and it remains unclear whether Durov will actually be charged.