Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Charged With Allowing Criminal Activity On Messaging App, Granted €5Million Bail
French judges have ordered Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, to remain in France pending investigation into alleged criminal activity on the messaging app.
Durov has posted €5m bail, avoiding jail, Sky News reports.
Durov was arrested Saturday at Le Bourget airport. Authorities question him over allegations Telegram facilitates child sexual abuse material exchange, drug trafficking, fraud, and money laundering.
Telegram has responded by insisting it abides by EU laws and its moderation is “within industry standards and constantly improving”.
Its statement added: “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of that platform.”
Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron claimed Durov’s arrest was a result of a judicial investigation and not a politically motivated decision.
In a press statement issued via his verified X page on Tuesday, Macron emphasised that the French judiciary operates independently and that the government does not interfere in legal proceedings.
Macron’s statement comes after speculation surrounding the circumstances of Durov’s arrest, with some suggesting that it was a politically driven move.
However, the French President reassured that the legal system was allowed to run its course, leading to the detention of the Telegram founder.
The President wrote: “I have seen false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov.
“France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so.
“In a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.
“It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law. 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.”
The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office on Monday released a list of a dozen charges that could be brought against Pavel Durov.
The list ranges from complicity in drug dealing and money laundering, to facilitating the distribution of child pornography.
The 39-year-old Russian, who also holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, was detained by French authorities on Saturday after arriving in Paris from Azerbaijan by private jet.
