French Authorities Issue Preliminary Charges Against Telegram Messaging App CEO

PARIS (AP) — French authorities handed Telegram CEO Pavel Durov preliminary charges Wednesday for allowing alleged criminal activity connected his messaging app, and barred him from leaving France pending further investigation.

Durov was detained connected Saturday astatine Le Bourget airdrome extracurricular Paris arsenic portion of a sweeping judicial enquiry opened past month, and released earlier Wednesday aft 4 days of questioning.

Allegations against nan Russia-born Durov, who is simply a French citizen, see that his level is being utilized for kid intersexual maltreatment worldly and supplier trafficking, and that Telegram refused to stock accusation aliases documents pinch investigators erstwhile required by law.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier communicative follows below.

PARIS (AP) — French prosecutors connected Wednesday freed Telegram CEO Pavel Durov from constabulary custody aft 4 days of questioning complete allegations that nan messaging app is being utilized for forbidden activities.

Durov was detained connected Saturday astatine Le Bourget airdrome extracurricular Paris arsenic portion of a judicial enquiry opened past month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.

“An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov’s constabulary custody and will person him brought to tribunal for a first quality and a imaginable indictment,” a connection from nan Paris prosecutor’s agency said.

Allegations against nan Russia-born Durov, who is simply a French citizen, see that his level is being utilized for kid intersexual maltreatment worldly and supplier trafficking, fraud and abetting organized crime transactions, and that Telegram refused to stock accusation aliases documents pinch investigators erstwhile required by law.

Durov’s apprehension successful France has caused outrage successful Russia, pinch immoderate authorities officials calling it politically motivated and impervious of nan West’s double modular connected state of speech. The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics because successful 2018, Russian authorities themselves tried to artifact nan Telegram app but failed, withdrawing nan prohibition successful 2020.

In Iran, wherever Telegram is wide utilized contempt being officially banned aft years of protests challenging nan country’s Shiite theocracy, Durov’s apprehension successful France prompted comments from nan Islamic Republic’s ultimate leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weighed successful pinch cloaked praise for France for being “strict” against those who “violate your governance” of nan internet.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that Durov’s apprehension wasn’t a governmental move but portion of an independent investigation. Macron posted connected X that his state “is profoundly committed” to state of look but “freedoms are upheld wrong a ineligible framework, some connected societal media and successful existent life, to protect citizens and respect their basal rights.”

In a connection posted connected its level aft Durov’s arrest, Telegram said it abides by EU laws, and its moderation is “within manufacture standards and perpetually improving.”

“It is absurd to declare that a level aliases its proprietor are responsible for maltreatment of that platform,” Telegram’s station said. “Almost a cardinal users globally usage Telegram arsenic intends of connection and arsenic a root of captious information. We’re awaiting a punctual solution of this situation. Telegram is pinch you all.”

In summation to Russia and France, Durov is besides a national of nan United Arab Emirates and nan Caribbean land federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The UAE Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it was “closely pursuing nan case” and had asked France to supply Durov “with each nan basal consular services successful an urgent manner.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he hoped that Durov “has each nan basal opportunities for his ineligible defense” and added that Moscow stands “ready to supply each basal assistance and support” to nan Telegram CEO arsenic a Russian citizen.

“But nan business is analyzable by nan truth that he is besides a national of France,” Peskov said.

Telegram, which says it has astir a cardinal users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his relative aft he himself faced unit from Russian authorities.

In 2013, he sold his liking successful VKontakte, a celebrated Russian societal networking tract which he launched successful 2006.

The institution came nether unit during nan Russian government’s crackdown pursuing wide pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow astatine nan extremity of 2011 and 2012.

Durov had said authorities demanded that nan tract return down online communities of Russian guidance activists, and later that it manus complete individual information of users who took portion successful nan 2013-2014 celebrated uprising successful Ukraine, which yet ousted a pro-Kremlin president.

Durov said successful a caller question and reply that he had turned down these demands and near nan country.

The demonstrations prompted Russian authorities to clamp down connected nan integer space, and Telegram and its pro-privacy rhetoric offered a convenient measurement for Russians to pass and stock news.

Telegram besides continues to beryllium a celebrated root of news successful Ukraine, wherever some media outlets and officials usage it to stock accusation connected nan war, and present rocket and aerial ambush alerts.

Western governments person often criticized Telegram for a deficiency of contented moderation, which experts opportunity opens up nan messaging app for imaginable usage successful money laundering, supplier trafficking and nan sharing of worldly linked to nan intersexual exploitation of minors.

In 2022, Germany issued fines of $5 cardinal against Telegram’s operators for failing to found a lawful measurement to reporting forbidden contented aliases to sanction an entity successful Germany to person charismatic communication. Both are required nether German laws that modulate ample online platforms.