Telegram CEO Pavel Durov freed from custody, will appear in court

“An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov’s police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment,” news Agency Associated Press reported, citing a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office said.

The Russian-born billionaire was taken into custody on Saturday, August 24, at Le Bourget Airport in France after arriving on a private plane from Azerbaijan.

The arrest followed a probe launched by France’s National Anti-Fraud Office on July 8, investigating alleged criminal activities on Telegram, including drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering, distribution of child sexual abuse material, abetting criminal transactions, and refusal to cooperate with law enforcement.

In response to the investigation, Telegram stated, “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” emphasizing that the company “abides by European Union laws, including the Digital Services Act.”

He was held in custody for up to 96 hours, the maximum duration allowed under French law before charges must be filed.

In France, being placed under formal investigation does not imply guilt or guarantee a trial. It simply means that judges believe there is sufficient evidence to continue with the investigation. These investigations can take years before either going to trial or being dismissed.

Durov’s arrest has ignited a debate over freedom of speech and raised concerns, particularly in Ukraine and Russia, where Telegram is immensely popular and serves as a crucial communication tool for military personnel and citizens amid Moscow’s ongoing war with Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the controversy on Monday, stating that the decision to press charges against Durov was “in no way political,” marking a rare instance of a French leader commenting on a judicial matter.

Telegram, launched in 2013 by Durov and his brother Nikolai, has grown into one of the world’s most widely used messaging platforms, boasting over 950 million users as of last month, according to a recent post from Durov.

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