Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was arrested at Le Bourget Airport near Paris. Officers from France’s anti-fraud unit, linked to French customs, detained him Saturday evening after he arrived at Le Bourget Airport on a flight from Azerbaijan, according to BFMTV.
Reports indicate the investigation centers on Telegram’s lack of content moderation, which may have allegedly enabled criminal activities like money laundering and drug trafficking on the platform.
Durov founded Telegram in 2013 after leaving Russia. He had previously clashed with the Russian government over demands to shut down opposition groups on Vkontakte, a social media platform he created before Telegram. His refusal to comply led him to leave Russia in 2014.
Telegram has nearly a billion users and has played a crucial role in Russia’s war on Ukraine, serving as a platform for unfiltered information from both sides of the conflict. Despite its widespread use, the app has been criticised for allowing harmful content to circulate unchecked.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has expressed concern over Durov’s arrest, calling for his release and raising the issue of his rights. The French authorities have not disclosed the reason for the arrest, however.
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