According to media reports, an arrest warrant for Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was issued as part of a preliminary investigation into fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, crimes against children, and terrorist propaganda.
French judicial authorities on Sunday, August 25 extended The 39-year-old founder's detention period has been extended for another 48 hours, AFP reports, citing a source close to the investigation.
Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport on the evening of August 24. The initial period of detention for interrogation can last up to 96 hours, journalists note. During this time, Durov must be charged or released, writes DW.
Le Provence writes that the National Police's Office for Minors (OFMIN) has issued an arrest warrant for Durov, and the investigation has been entrusted to the National Cyber Unit of the Gendarmerie and the National Anti-Fraud Bureau.
According to media reports, the warrant was issued as part of a preliminary investigation into the alleged crimes. Durov is accused of failing to take measures to prevent the criminal use of his platform. French authorities and law enforcement agencies have still not commented on Durov's detention. In response to a TASS request, the Paris prosecutor's office said that a full statement for the press would be released on Monday, August 26.
Telegram spoke out about the detention of its founder a day later. Official statement from Telegram:
“Telegram complies with the laws EUincluding the Digital Services Act — its moderation complies with industry standards and is constantly being improved. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently throughout Europe. It is absurd to claim that the platform or its owner are responsible for the abuse of this platform. Almost a billion users worldwide rely on Telegram as a means of communication and a source of important information. We look forward to a speedy resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you.”
The Russian embassy in Paris said it had requested access to Durov but had received no response and accused France of refusing to cooperate. Since Durov also had French citizenship, “France considers this his primary citizenship,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
A Russian has declared a hunger strike in Paris in support of Pavel Durov. Vladimir Cherkasov, son of human rights activist Alexander Cherkasov, went to Place de la Bastille in Paris with a poster reading Free Durov. The young man declared a hunger strike, demanding the release of the Telegram founder, SOTAvision reports.
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