Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old Russian-born billionaire and founder of the Telegram messaging app, was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday evening (24 August 2024) and he was taken into custody shortly after landing on a private jet.
Reuters reports that the arrest has sparked a strong reaction from Moscow, which has urged Paris to ensure Durov’s rights are respected. Elon Musk, owner of X, also criticized the arrest, claiming it represents an attack on free speech in Europe.
The report stated that while there has been no official confirmation from French authorities, two French police sources and one Russian source confirmed Durov’s arrest.
The sources stated that Durov was detained upon arrival from Azerbaijan due to an outstanding arrest warrant in France.
A French police source revealed that authorities had identified Durov on the passenger list before the jet’s arrival and moved to arrest him accordingly.
In response to the arrest, Telegram issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) asserting its compliance with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act.
The company emphasised that its moderation practices are within industry standards and continually improving. Telegram also stated that its CEO has “nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe,” and “it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”
Durov, who holds dual citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates, is reportedly under investigation for allegedly allowing various crimes to occur on Telegram due to insufficient moderation and lack of cooperation with law enforcement.
A third French police source indicated that the investigation is being led by a cybersecurity gendarmerie unit and France’s national anti-fraud police unit, with an investigative judge specialising in organized crime overseeing the case.
Telegram expressed hope for a swift resolution, stating, “We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.”
The French Interior Ministry, police, and Paris prosecutor’s office have not issued any statement regarding this matter.
Russian lawmaker Maria Butina, who previously served 15 months in a U.S. prison for acting as an unregistered Russian agent, described Durov as a “political prisoner” and a victim of a Western witch-hunt. The news of Durov’s arrest has dominated headlines in Russia.
Founded by Durov and based in Dubai, Telegram has grown to nearly 1 billion users. The encrypted messaging app is particularly popular in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet republics, ranking among the top social media platforms globally alongside Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat.