French Authorities arrest Telegram CEO Pavel Durov at Paris Airport: “It’s Telegram today. It’ll be X tomorrow.”
On Sunday, French media reported that the founder and CEO of the popular messaging service Telegram has been detained at a Paris airport.
Durov was detained on an arrest warrant that alleged his platform has been used for money laundering, drug trafficking, and other offenses.
According to French reports, the warrant for Durov was issued by France at the request of a special unit within France’s interior ministry. The special unit oversees the investigation of crimes against minors and distribution of child sexual abuse content.
Durov, a dual citizen of France and Russia, founded Telegram with his brother. The messaging app’s creation was a result of a Russian government crackdown after mass pro-democracy protests that hit Moscow in 2011 and 2012.
The pro-democracy demonstrations in Moscow forced Russian authorities to crack down on the digital space, adopting regulations that allowed internet providers to block websites as well as allowing cellphone operators to store call records and messages that could be shared with the Russian government.
Telegram offered a pro-privacy solution in Russia, giving citizens the ability to communicate and share news without fear of government retaliation.
Since the war begin in Ukraine, Telegram became a popular source of news. Media outlets and officials used the app to share information regarding the war and deliver missile and air raid alerts.
Telegram issued a statement following Durov’s arrest stating that the app abides by EU laws and that its content moderation is, “within industry standards and constantly improving.”
The company added that Telegram has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe.
“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” Telegram’s post said. “Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.”
Laure Beccuau, the Prosecutor of the French Republic, issued a press release detailing the 12 criminal counts Durov has been charged with.
Of the 12 counts, some include: web-mastering an online platform in order to enable illegal transaction in organized group, possessing pornographic images of minors, and organized fraud.
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, issued his statement on X saying that, “The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter.”
Vivek Ramaswamy, former presidential candidate and rising start within the GOP shared his thoughts on the arrest of Pavel Durov saying that, “It’s Telegram today. It’ll be X tomorrow.”