Telegram's founder Pavel Durov arrested in Paris

Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram app, was arrested at Paris' Le Bourget airport on Saturday and has had his detention extended by French judicial authorities. Durov was detained upon arrival from Baku on his private jet in connection with allegations of fraud, drug trafficking, organized crime, promotion of terrorism, and cyberbullying.

French investigators issued an arrest warrant for Durov accusing him of failing to adequately address the criminal use of his platform.
Telegram, in a statement, defended its compliance with EU laws and its moderation practices. The company insisted that Durov has nothing to hide and frequently travels within Europe.

Telegram's statement said: “Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act – its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving. Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation.”

Russian authorities criticized France for its lack of cooperation and requested access to Durov.

Durov's arrest marks a significant turn in the career of the tech world's influential figure. He left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with Kremlin demands. Telegram has since become a major source of information and disinformation about the Ukraine war.

Elon Musk criticized European authorities following the arrest of Pavel Durov, labeling it an assault on free speech. Musk took to social media to call for justice for Durov. In response to a post by American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who warned, "It's Telegram today. It'll be X tomorrow," Musk agreed, affirming, "He's right."
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