In a rare move, France recently arrested Telegram owner Pavel Durov, soon charging him for supporting criminal activities. The authorities also restricted Durov from leaving the country.
Telegram Owner Arrested And Charged In France
Reportedly, France arrested the Telegram owner, founder and CEO Pavel Durov right after he landed within French boundaries.
According to French media, Durov reached France via his private jet on Saturday evening, but the French Police arrested him right after he got off the plane. The arrest happened on August 28, 2024, citing an arrest warrant issued by the French National Judicial Police in March.
Sharing exclusive insights, Politico reported that French authorities had been investigating Telegram for quite some time. These investigations revolved around Telegram’s refusal to cooperate following legal inquiries regarding child abuse.
Soon after the arrest, French authorities charged him with suspected support for illicit activities on Telegram, including illegal gang transactions, drug trafficking, child abuse, and fraud.
Later on, Durov managed to secure a €5 million bail on the condition to report to the authorities twice a week and not leave the country.
Durov’s arrest sparked global outrage, particularly from privacy advocates. Many viewed this move as another step towards curbing freedom of speech.
According to CNN, Russian authorities also condemned this act from France. As per the statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova,
It seems to me that all this has once again demonstrated the true attitude of the French leadership, which has blatantly trampled on international norms in the field of protecting freedom of speech and expression, for only one reason – because if they protect certain standards, they must not only comply with them, they must protect and implement them.
Interestingly, French President Emmanuel Macron also commented on the matter in his X post, claiming it a purely judicial matter.
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.
For now, it remains unclear how Durov’s arrest would impact Telegram’s functioning and integrity. As the case proceeds, further details on this matter may surface online.
Durov’s arrest does not mark the first high-profile arrest in a country. In 2018, Canadian authorities arrested Huawei’s CFO, citing violations of US sanctions on Iran trade.
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