Durov released but French nd judges charge Telegram chief
judges last night issued preliminary charges alleging Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov allowed criminal activity on his messaging app.
Prosecutors in Paris had earlier freed Mr Durov from police custody after four days of questioning over allegations that the platform is being used for illegal activities.
Durov was detained on lebourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.
“An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov’s police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment,” a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
Allegations against Russianborn Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud and abetting organised crime transactions, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.
Durov’s arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials calling it politically motivated and proof of the west’ s double standard on freedom of speech.
The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics because in 2018, russian authorities themselves tried to block the Telegram app but failed, withdrawing 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 for being “strict” against those who“violate your governance” of the internet.
French president Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that Durov’s arrest was not a political move but part of an independent investigation.
Telegram said it abides by EU laws, and its moderation is “within industry standards and constantly improving”.
“It is absurd to claim that a form 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.”
In addition to Russia and France, durov is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he hoped that durov “has all the necessary opportunities for his legal defence” and added that Moscow stands “ready to provide all necessary assistance and support” to the Telegram chief executive as a Russian citizen.
“But the situation iscomplicated by the fact that he is also a citizen of France ,” Mr Peskov said.
Telegram, which says it has nearly a billion users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his brother.
Western governments have often criticised Telegram for a lack of content moderation, which experts say opens up the messaging a pp for potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking and the sharing of material linked to the sexual exploitation of minors.
It is absurd to claim a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform Telegram