Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested At A French Airport On Friday
French police have arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov at an airport north of Paris.
Mr Durov was detained after landing his private jet at Le Bourget Airport, according to French media.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024
According to officials, the 39-year-old billionaire was arrested on a warrant for crimes involving the popular messaging app.
The investigation is reportedly about a lack of moderators, with Mr Durov accused of failing to take action to prevent criminal use of Telegram.
Mr Durov was born in Russia and now lives in Dubai. He holds dual citizenship in the UAE and France.
Telegram is especially popular in Russia, Ukraine, and the former Soviet Union states.
The app was banned in Russia in 2018 following Mr Durov’s previous refusal to hand over user data. However, the ban was reversed in 2021.
Telegram is ranked as one of the top social media platforms, following Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat.
Mr. Durov founded Telegram in 2013 and left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on his social media platform, VKontakte, which he sold.
Russia’s MFA spox Maria Zakharova on the arrest of Pavel Durov, the Telegram founder, in France:
— Nina 🐙 Byzantina (@NinaByzantina) August 25, 2024
“I just remembered that in 2018 a group of 26 NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect… pic.twitter.com/voNHA4b3dW
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova asked on Telegram if Western human rights NGOs would remain silent on Mr Durov’s arrest after they criticized Russia’s decision to “create obstacles” to Telegram’s work in Russia in 2018.
Several Russian officials condemn the businessman’s arrest.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, has faced widespread criticism from the liberal left for moderation and content hosted on his own social media site. He has posted about the situation several times.
POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme https://t.co/OkZ6YS3u2P
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024
He hashtagged one post with #freepavel and wrote in another, “POV: It’s 2030 in Europe, and you’re being executed for liking a meme.”
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested At A French Airport On Friday
