Telegram founder arrested in France, Russia instantly clarifies the state of affairs

The Russian founding father of messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, has been arrested after arriving in Paris by personal jet.

Founder and CEO of messaging app Telegram Pavel Durov (Picture: RT).

Native TV Channel LCI Pavel Durov, who obtained a French passport in 2021, was arrested at Paris-Le Bourget airport at round 8:00 p.m. on August 24 (native time), in line with studies.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, who was born in Russia, can also be a citizen of the UAE, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Russia.

Durov, 39, was on a airplane touring from Azerbaijan to the French capital Paris. The founding father of the messaging app Telegram was accompanied by a lady and bodyguard.

Theo LCIFrench authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the tech entrepreneur following a preliminary investigation. French authorities say Telegram’s lack of enough censorship, encryption instruments, and alleged lack of cooperation with police might expose Durov to prices of complicity in drug trafficking, pedophilia, and fraud.

TV channel TF1 Telegram CEO to seem in courtroom, Durov might resist 20 years in jail, the information company reported.

As a French citizen, Telegram’s founder might additionally face prices of violating EU sanctions towards Moscow over his connections in Russia.

The Russian embassy in France stated Moscow was taking “quick steps” to make clear the state of affairs surrounding Mr Durov.

Quoting a consultant from the Russian embassy in France, the information company Tass stated the diplomatic company had not but acquired any complaints from Mr Durov’s staff, however was taking “quick” steps.

Telegram is an app that’s notably influential in Russia, Ukraine and different former Soviet international locations.

Telegram ranks as one of many largest social media platforms after Fb, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and Wechat. The platform goals to succeed in one billion customers subsequent 12 months.

Telegram was based by Durov and is headquartered in Dubai. Durov left Russia in 2014 after refusing to adjust to authorities calls for to close down opposition communities on the social media platform VK, which Durov based however later bought.

After Russia launched its army marketing campaign in Ukraine in 2022, Telegram turned the principle platform for each Russia and Ukraine to report on the combating and political state of affairs surrounding the battle.

The app has turn into a favourite media outlet for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and officers in his administration. The Kremlin and the Russian authorities additionally use the app to unfold Russian propaganda. It has additionally turn into one of many few platforms the place Russians can entry information concerning the conflict.

Durov, whose fortune is estimated by Forbes at $15.5 billion, stated some governments had tried to strain him, however the Telegram app, which now has 900 million energetic customers, remained a “impartial platform” and never “a participant in geopolitics”.