Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, was arrested in Paris on August 24, 2024, after landing on his private jet from Azerbaijan, where he had been on holiday. The arrest took place at Le Bourget Airport, just north of Paris.
French authorities reportedly carried out the operation as part of an ongoing investigation into Durov's refusal to cooperate with law enforcement. The charges do not allege that Durov directly committed any crimes but focus on his refusal to remove channels on Telegram that authorities claim have facilitated "illegal activity" and "disinformation."
French media report he might be slapped with multiple charges, including terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering, and child abuse content. Such charges would put him 20 years behind bars.
Some European governments have recently expressed concerns that many "underground groups", such as "anti-vaxxers" and "criminals", have found sanctuary on Telegram due to its lack of content moderation.
In an interview with U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson in April, Durov talked about pressure from governments around the world, saying "I would rather be free than take orders from anyone." He also alleged that the FBI had attempted to secretly recruit one of Telegram's developers to create a backdoor into the app during his most recent visit to the United States.
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X (formerly known as Twitter), reacted to the news with a tweet: "It's 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme," highlighting concerns about free speech and censorship.
The French Interior Ministry and police have not yet issued official statements regarding Durov’s arrest.
Durov, 39, was reportedly accompanied by his bodyguard and a woman at the time of his detention.
Originally from Russia, Durov is known for his strong stance on user privacy and his refusal to comply with government demands for user data. This led to Telegram being banned in Russia in 2018, although the ban was lifted in 2021. Since 2014, Durov has lived in Dubai and holds dual citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates.
With an estimated fortune of AU $20 billion, according to Forbes, Durov has consistently maintained that Telegram should remain a neutral platform, resisting pressure from various governments to take sides or interfere in political matters.
