Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, has been arrested at a Paris airport and is expected to appear in a French court. Durov, a tech billionaire with dual Franco-Russian citizenship, was detained by police at Le Bourget airport on charges related to his messaging app.
The arrest follows allegations that Telegram has been used for various criminal activities, including fraud, drug trafficking, organized crime, and the promotion of terrorism. French investigators have accused Durov of neglecting his responsibility to prevent such misuse of his platform, leading to the issuance of a warrant for his arrest.
The situation has drawn criticism from Russian authorities, who accuse France of not cooperating and of blocking access to Durov. The Russian embassy in Paris has expressed frustration, claiming that French officials have avoided engaging with them on the matter.
Durov has a complicated history with the Russian government, having left the country in 2014 after refusing to shut down opposition groups on VK, a social network he founded. Following a conflict with VK’s Kremlin-linked owners, he shifted his focus to Telegram, which he founded with his brother in 2013.
Telegram has grown significantly since its inception, evolving from a simple messaging app into a broader social network with 950 million monthly active users. The app has played a pivotal role in disseminating information, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Durov, who now resides in Dubai and holds citizenship in both France and the UAE, has praised Dubai for its neutral stance and business-friendly environment. However, while Telegram faces little regulation in the UAE, it has come under scrutiny from Western governments for its failure to moderate harmful content, such as hate speech and disinformation.
The platform’s strong encryption and the ability to create large channels have made it popular in the former Soviet Union and beyond. However, this has also led to its exploitation by extremists, conspiracy theorists, and propagandists.
Various groups, including far-right extremists in the UK and American conspiracy theorists, have used Telegram to organize and spread their ideologies. The platform has been heavily criticized by anti-racism organizations for being a hub of extremist content, with little effort from Telegram to control the situation.
Durov’s arrest has garnered attention from prominent figures like Dmitry Medvedev, Tucker Carlson, and Elon Musk. Medvedev suggested that Durov underestimated the challenges of avoiding cooperation with international security services, while Carlson and Musk have praised Durov’s commitment to free speech and resistance to government censorship.
Durov has consistently maintained that Telegram should remain a neutral platform, emphasizing user privacy and independence. The arrest has reignited debates about the responsibilities of social media platforms in balancing free speech with the need to moderate harmful content.
