Pavel Durov, Telegram founder arrest in France; understand why

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the messaging app Telegram, was arrested at a Paris airport on Saturday the 24^th of August, 2024 as part of a criminal investigation into allegations that his platform has been used for illegal activities.

The charges against Durov include:

The judicial inquiry involving Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, includes twelve alleged criminal violations as outlined by French authorities. These violations are:

1. Complicity in possessing and disseminating child pornography
2. Complicity in drug trafficking
3. Fraud
4. Abetting organized crime transactions
5. Refusing to share necessary information or documents with investigators
6. Facilitating online platforms for organized crime
7. Failure to comply with legal obligations regarding content moderation
8. Providing encryption services without the necessary declarations
9. Failure to prevent the dissemination of illegal content
10. Involvement in illegal financial transactions
11. Failure to report illegal activities occurring on the platform
12. Assisting in the transport or offering of narcotics

There is no specific mention of Pavel Durov or his arrest on the official website of the French judiciary (www.justice.gouv.fr). The details about the charges against Durov and the extension of his police custody come from statements made by the Paris prosecutor’s office to media outlets, not from the judiciary’s website directly.

These allegations stem from concerns that Telegram has been used for various illicit activities, including child exploitation and drug trafficking, and reflect a broader investigation into the platform’s content moderation practices and its cooperation with law enforcement agencies

French prosecutors allege that Telegram has refused to cooperate with authorities in their efforts to stop the spread of child pornography, drug trafficking, and money laundering on the platform. Durov has not been formally charged yet, but is being detained and questioned by French authorities.

Implications of Durov’s Arrest

Durov’s arrest has sparked controversy over online speech, encryption, and digital rights. Some see it as an assault on free speech and an attempt at government censorship. There are concerns that the arrest could lead to a “chilling effect” where platforms over-moderate content out of fear of legal consequences.

The arrest also raises questions about the responsibility social media companies should bear for user-generated content and how much they should cooperate with government demands to take down or provide information about certain content. A question on that borders on privacy, security and censorship.

Durov was detained at Paris-Le Bourget Airport after arriving from Azerbaijan, and while he has not yet been formally charged, he is currently undergoing questioning by the French National Anti-Fraud Office. The investigation has drawn attention to the broader implications of content moderation and the responsibilities of social media platforms in preventing illegal activities.

Edward Snowden had this to say on the act of the French Authorities;

Durov holds a French passport in addition to Russian nationality. In its press information, Telegram says its founder has “dual citizenship of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and France”. The UAE said Tuesday it had requested consular services for the billionaire and was closely following his case.

An investigative judge extended Durov’s police custody on Monday evening for up to 48 hours. After that, authorities must either release him or formally charge him. The Paris prosecutor’s office said the arrest was related to a judicial cybercrime investigation opened in July “against an unnamed person” related to these 12 alleged violations.

More Information ℹ

• UAE closely following case of Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram
• French president actively uses Telegram messenger — Politico
• Russia warns France against trying to ‘intimidate’ detained Telegram founder Pavel Durov
• French judge extends police custody for Telegram CEO Pavel Durov