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Russian-French billionaire Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested in France on Saturday after his private jet landed in Paris. He is charged with multiple offenses, including fraud, drug trafficking, and cyberbullying, for allegedly neglecting to address harmful activities on the platform.
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Russian-French billionaire Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, was arrested in France on Saturday after his private jet landed at Bourget Airport in Paris. The French Interior Ministry and police have not commented on the arrest, while Telegram has remained silent on the matter.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, however, has stepped in, stating that its embassy in Paris is seeking clarification on the situation and urging Western non-governmental organizations to advocate for Durov’s release. The ministry’s spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, has also taken to Telegram to question whether Western human rights organizations will remain silent on Durov’s arrest, pointing out that they had previously criticized Russia for imposing restrictions on Telegram’s operations within the country in 2018.
According to reports, French agency OFMIN has charged Durov with multiple offenses, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, and organized crime, alleging that he neglected to address harmful activities occurring on Telegram. If convicted, Durov could face indictment as early as Sunday.
The arrest has sparked controversy, with some, including American television host Tucker Carlson, suggesting that Durov is being targeted for refusing to censor certain content on Telegram. Carlson tweeted that Durov’s arrest is a “living warning to any platform owner who refuses to censor the truth at the behest of governments and intel agencies.” Others, including X owner Elon Musk, have criticized the arrest, with Musk stating that it is “2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme.”
Telegram is one of the most widely used mobile phone apps in the world, after Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, WeChat, and YouTube. The app has gained a reputation for its commitment to user privacy and free speech, which may have contributed to Durov’s arrest.
