Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has been charged with allowing criminal activity on the messaging app. French judges have prevented him from leaving France pending further investigation but allowed him to remain free on a €5m bail. Durov, a billionaire who is now a French citizen, was detained after landing in Paris on his private jet. He faces accusations of facilitating child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, and fraud on Telegram.
Telegram has maintained that it follows EU laws and has robust moderation processes in place to prevent illegal activity on the platform. The company stated that it is unfair to hold the platform or its owner responsible for the actions of users. Durov’s arrest has sparked outrage in Russia, with some officials claiming that it is politically motivated and a sign of hypocrisy regarding freedom of speech in the West.
The Kremlin has offered to support Durov due to his Russian citizenship but noted that his French citizenship complicates the situation. In response to his detention, supporters in Moscow have placed paper planes, symbolizing Telegram’s logo, in solidarity with the billionaire. Durov’s future remains uncertain as the legal proceedings continue in France.
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