Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested in France

Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, was arrested on Saturday evening at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, according to reports from French media outlets TF1 and BFM TV.

Durov was reportedly detained after his private jet landed, facing an arrest warrant linked to a preliminary police investigation in France. The investigation reportedly centers around the alleged lack of moderators on Telegram, which authorities claim has allowed criminal activities to flourish on the platform.

Having established Telegram in 2013, Pavel Durov is renowned for his commitment to maintaining the app as a neutral platform. Since its inception, Telegram has gained significant traction, particularly in Russia, Ukraine, and other countries from the former Soviet Union, with aims to reach one billion users in the near future.

Following the ongoing war in Ukraine, Telegram has emerged as a crucial source of information, often featuring unfiltered content from both Ukrainian and Russian sources. The app has also become a preferred communication tool for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his administration, while the Russian government utilizes it for news dissemination.

Pavel Durov, who left Russia in 2014 due to governmental pressure to shut down opposition communities on his prior social media platform VKontakte, is currently based in Dubai. Following his arrest, Russia’s embassy in France stated it is taking immediate steps to clarify the situation.

As international reactions unfold, some Russian politicians have accused France of acting in a dictatorial manner. Meanwhile, discussions have emerged regarding the silence of Western non-governmental organizations in response to Durov’s arrest.