The Russian-born founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, who was detained in Paris, has nothing to conceal, and it is unreasonable to hold an owner accountable for the misuse of a messaging and social media platform, Telegram stated in a release.
Durov, a 39-year-old billionaire, was taken into custody at Le Bourget airport near Paris shortly after arriving on a private jet from Azerbaijan late Saturday.
The arrest of Telegram’s CEO led to a warning from Moscow to Paris, urging that his rights be respected, and drew criticism from Elon Musk, the owner of X, who claimed that free speech in Europe was under threat.
Telegram issued a brief statement after midnight Paris time, which didn’t disclose details of the arrest but affirmed that the Dubai-based company complies with European Union regulations and that its content moderation is “within industry standards and continually improving.”
“Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe,” Telegram stated. “It is ridiculous to suggest that a platform or its owner should be held responsible for the misuse of that platform.”
“We are expecting a swift resolution to this matter. Telegram stands with you all.”
Durov, who holds both French and United Arab Emirates citizenship, was detained as part of a preliminary police investigation into alleged facilitation of various crimes due to insufficient moderation on Telegram and a lack of cooperation with law enforcement, according to a French police source.
A cybersecurity gendarmerie unit along with France’s national anti-fraud police unit are heading the investigation, the source added, noting that the judge in charge specialises in organised crime.
Telegram, founded by Durov, came into existence after he left Russia in 2014 when he declined to shut down opposition groups on his VK social media platform, which he later sold.
The encrypted app, which boasts nearly 1 billion users, holds significant influence in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet republics. It is regarded as one of the major social media platforms alongside Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat.
Born in Soviet Leningrad and a graduate of St Petersburg State University, Durov identifies his political stance as “libertarian” and cites Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs as an inspiration.
With an estimated net worth of $15.5 billion, according to Forbes, Durov mentioned in April that some governments had attempted to pressure him, but he believes the app should stay neutral and not become involved in geopolitics.
Durov, whose arrest made headlines in Russia, conceptualised the idea of an encrypted messaging app while under pressure from Russian authorities. His younger brother, Nikolai, developed the encryption.
“I prefer to be free rather than follow orders from anyone,” Durov remarked in April about his decision to leave Russia and find a new base for his company, which has had stints in Berlin, London, Singapore, and San Francisco.
Russian lawmaker Maria Butina, who served 15 months in a U.S. prison for operating as an unregistered Russian agent, called Durov “a political prisoner – a casualty of a Western witch-hunt.”
Nancy Mbamalu
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