French authorities arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in Paris on Saturday. The tech entrepreneur was detained at Le Bourget airport after arriving on his private jet. Officials have stated that the CEO’s arrest was made under a warrant related to alleged offenses related to the messaging app. Soon after the arrest, Telegram released a statement saying its CEO “has nothing to hide”.
France extends Telegram CEO’s detention after the arrest on Saturday night
The French authorities arrested Durov on Saturday night for alleged offenses related to the Telegram app. Durov, who has dual French and UAE citizenship, was detained as part of a preliminary police investigation. It is looking into alleged criminal activity taking place on the messaging platform. The investigation reportedly centers around Telegram’s purported lack of content moderation. The authorities reportedly believe the lack of moderation has allowed criminal activities to flourish unchecked on Telegram.
Notably, France on Sunday extended the detention following the arrest earlier. French media reports that the magistrate overseeing the case decided to extend Durov’s detention beyond Sunday night. Under the French judicial system, this initial questioning period can last for up to 96 hours. Once it is over, the magistrate can decide whether to file charges and keep the CEO in custody or release him.
Telegram says its CEO “has nothing to hide”
The French police inquiry is into accusations of “fraud, drug trafficking, organized crime, terrorism promotion, and cyber-bullying” on the messaging platform. Soon after the arrest, Telegram pushed back strongly against any suggestion of wrongdoing and released a statement on Sunday.
“Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving”, the company said in a statement. Furthermore, Telegram said its “CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owners are responsible for abuse of that platform”.
The arrest receives criticism from free speech advocates, including Elon Musk
Elon Musk and many free speech advocates have expressed their disapproval of European authorities after the arrest. The billionaire tech tycoon used his platform, X, to repost clips of an interview with Durov by Tucker Carlson in April.
Notably, Edward Snowden, the American whistleblower who sought asylum in Russia, also condemned the arrest. Snowden called it “an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association.”
2024-08-26 15:06:37