As part of the cybercrime investigation, the Paris prosecutor extended the detention of the CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, for another 48 hours on the evening of August 26. This was reported by Reuters.
According to the French publication TF1, the messenger’s accusations of facilitating the drug trade and crimes against children were the reason for Durov’s detention.
Journalists wrote that the investigation concerns crimes related to alleged illegal transactions, child pornography, and fraud in the messenger, as well as refusal to provide information to the authorities.
Last Saturday, French authorities detained Russian Pavel Durov, the founder of the Telegram messenger. The founder and CEO of the Telegram messenger flew to France from Azerbaijan on a private plane with a bodyguard.
On Sunday, the Paris prosecutor’s office declined to provide any information “at this stage, as the case is under investigation.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said that the detention of Telegram’s founder has no political reasons. In his comments—the first official statement regarding Durov’s detention—Macron said the Telegram founder’s arrest “took place within the framework of an ongoing judicial investigation.”.
The French president stressed that France supports freedom of expression, but according to a rule of law, freedoms in social networks “are exercised within the limits established by law to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.”
“It is the courts, in conditions of complete independence, that must ensure compliance with the law,” Macron added.
Durov is accused of failing to take action against the criminal use of his messenger by subscribers, in particular due to a lack of moderation and cooperation with the investigation.
The French investigators were surprised that Durov, knowing that he was wanted in France, still decided to come to Paris.
Previously, individual EU member states heard calls to regulate Telegram. This platform is widely used by disinformation actors, especially those linked to Russian and spreading pro-Kremlin views.
