The CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, has been given preliminary charges by French officials due to allegations of criminal activity being enabled on the messaging app he heads. Subsequently, he has been prevented from exiting France as further investigations are carried out.
This past Saturday, Durov, who is native to Russia but has French citizenship, was detained at Le Bourget airport located outside of Paris. Last month, a rigorous judicial inquiry had been launched leading to this event. He was subsequently released on Wednesday after enduring four days of questioning.
The charges against Durov include suggestions that Telegram has been used as a medium for drug trafficking and sharing child sexual abuse material. It is also alleged that the company has defied legal orders by not providing necessary documents or information to investigators when requested to do so.
Reactions in Russia have been strong with some government officials denouncing Durov’s arrest in France as politically stirred and a clear demonstration of the West’s proven hypocritical approach to upholding freedom of speech. This has been met with surprise from critics of the Kremlin, given that in 2018, Russian authorities, though not successful, attempted to enforce a ban on the Telegram app, only to withdraw it in 2020.
In Iran, where Telegram continues to be utilised extensively even though it has been officially proscribed following numerous protests against the ruling Shi’ite theocracy of the country, Durov’s arrest in France has evoked reactions from Iran’s supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave veiled commendations to France for their sternness against those who overstep their governance of the internet.
French President Emmanuel Macron, on Monday, asserted that the arrest of Durov was not a consequence of political strategy but an independent inquiry. On social media platform X, Macron stated France’s absolute commitment to the freedom of expression, noting that these freedoms are checked within the confines of the law, both online and offline, in order to guard the citizens and ensure their basic rights are upheld.
In response to Durov’s arrest, Telegram issued a statement on its platform. It stated compliance with EU laws, with their moderation practices constantly improving to be in line with industry standards. They rejected the insinuation that a platform or its owner should be held accountable for misuse of the platform.
Telegram is a key mode of communication and vital information source for nearly a billion users across the globe. They are currently eagerly waiting for an amicable resolution of an existing situation, proudly affirming their support to their users. Besides Russia and France, the app’s founder, Durov, additionally holds citizenship in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Caribbean territory of St Kitts and Nevis.
As the situation unfolds, the UAE’s foreign ministry has shown active involvement, requesting an immediate provision of essential consular services for Durov in France. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, voiced hope for Durov to have ample opportunities for legal defence and assured readiness for their part to extend all necessary aid and support to the Telegram CEO, acknowledging his Russian citizenship. However, he conceded that the situation’s complexity is heightened due to Durov’s French citizenship.
Telegram was conceived by Durov and his sibling following his own encounters with pressures exerted by the Russian government. He had previously founded VKontakte, a widely recognised social media platform in Russia, in 2006, but sold his interest in 2013. This move came in response to increasing government scrutiny following widespread pro-democracy demonstrations that gripped Moscow in late 2011 and 2012.
According to Durov, Russian authorities required VKontakte to remove online communities associated with opposition activists and later demanded user information associated with the 2013-2014 Ukrainian uprising, which led to the ousting of a president favoured by the Kremlin. Durov rejected these requests and decided to leave Russia.
These public protests prompted Russian officials to limit digital freedom, presenting an opportunity for Telegram and its emphasis on privacy to be a vital means of communication and information dissemination for Russians. This messaging platform is also a major information source in Ukraine, where it is used by media firms and administrators to share updates on the conflict, missile intrusions, and air raid alerts.
Despite its popularity, western governments have frequently expressed concerns about Telegram due to its lack of content control. Critics suggest that this leaves the app vulnerable to misuse for operations such as money laundering, drug trading, and dissemination of materials associated with the exploitation of minors.
In 2022, German authorities imposed penalties amounting to €4.5 million on the individuals running Telegram, citing their inability to create a legal method for reporting unlawful material and naming an insider in the nation to handle formal correspondence. Both mandates stem from the German legislation governing sizable digital platforms.