What simply occurred? Pavel Durov, the CEO of messaging app Telegram, has been charged by French authorities over allegations he allowed prison exercise on the app. Durov was arrested in France on Saturday. He’s barred from leaving the nation and solely averted being held in custody by paying a 5 million euro ($5.56 million) bail. Durov should additionally report back to a police station twice every week.
Durov was arrested by the Air Transport Gendarmerie (GTA) on the tarmac of Le Bourget airport round 8 p.m. on Saturday, shortly after stepping off his non-public jet.
The Russian-born billionaire, who turned a French citizen in 2021, was arrested on the authorization of the OFMIN (Workplace to Fight Violence In opposition to Minors). His fees embody working a platform that facilitates the unfold of sexual photos of kids and is utilized by organized crime for drug trafficking and fraud. It is also claimed that Telegram refused to cooperate with investigators when requested to share paperwork and data.
French authorities mentioned earlier this week that Durov’s arrest was a part of an investigation into Telegram’s failure to reasonable alleged prison exercise on the app.
In France, preliminary fees in opposition to a person imply that whereas authorities strongly imagine a criminal offense has been dedicated, extra time is allowed for additional investigation.
“Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov, has nothing to cover and travels ceaselessly in Europe,” Telegram mentioned in a press release. “It’s absurd to say {that a} platform, or its proprietor, are liable for abuse of that platform.”
“Nearly a billion customers globally use Telegram as technique of communication and as a supply of important info. We’re awaiting a immediate decision of this example. Telegram is with you all.”
Telegram mentioned in February that it has 41 million customers within the EU, however some imagine it’s purposely reducing this quantity to keep away from being classed as a “gatekeeper” beneath the EU’s Digital Providers Act (DSA). These companies with 45 million month-to-month lively customers – equivalent to Alphabet, Meta, and Microsoft – fall into this class, and are topic to tighter EU laws. Telegram was supposed to supply up to date person figures this month, but it surely solely declared that its common variety of month-to-month lively customers was “considerably fewer” than 45 million.
Durov’s arrest is inflicting outcry in Russia, with some authorities officers claiming the transfer was politically motivated.
The Russian embassy in France issued a press release on Fb that learn: “Following the media stories concerning the detention of P Durov, the French authorities have been instantly requested to make clear the explanations for the detention and to supply for the safety of Mr Durov’s rights and facilitate consular entry.”
“As of at present, the French authorities are, this present day, not co-operating on this situation.”
Russia says the arrest illustrates the West’s double requirements in terms of freedom of speech.
Russia ordered a ban on Telegram in 2018, every week after state communications regulator Roskomnadzor filed a lawsuit geared toward limiting entry to the app inside the nation. The ban was lifted in 2020 after Russia failed in its efforts to dam Telegram.
