France arrests Telegram CEO Pavel Durov near Paris

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was reportedly detained after being arrested at Bourget Airport outside Paris on the evening of August 24 (local time) as he got off his private plane.

The Dubai-based Russian billionaire was arrested on a warrant related to a preliminary investigation, Reuters reported, citing local media.

French authorities believe the platform's lack of censorship has "allowed criminal activity to take place unchecked on the messaging app".

Mr. Durov will appear in court tonight, August 25 (local time) and could be prosecuted as early as the same day, according to sources at TF1, one of two French media channels cited by Reuters.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, 40, is involved in a preliminary investigation by French authorities. Photo: Daily Mail

The Russian Embassy in France has taken the necessary steps to clarify the situation surrounding Mr. Durov’s arrest, although representatives of the Telegram CEO have not yet contacted the diplomatic mission, the state news agency TASS quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying early on August 25.

"In connection with the information about the arrest of Mr. Durov, the Russian Embassy in France immediately took the necessary steps in such a situation, to clarify the situation around a Russian citizen, although the representative of this businessman did not submit an application," the Russian Foreign Ministry said, adding that this work had begun before the Deputy Speaker of the State Duma (lower house) of Russia Vladislav Davankov contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Earlier, Mr. Davankov contacted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov with a request to find a way to release Mr. Durov, TASS said.

Telegram, which is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet republics, ranks as one of the largest social media platforms after Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and Wechat. The platform aims to reach 1 billion users next year.

French TV stations TF1 and BFM both said the investigation focused on a lack of censorship on Telegram, which police said allowed criminal activity to run unchecked on the messaging app.

Telegram did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The French Interior Ministry and French police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Since Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine in 2022, Telegram has become a major source of unfiltered — and sometimes graphic and misleading — content from both sides about the war and the politics surrounding the conflict, Reuters reported.

The app has become a favorite media outlet for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Kiev officials, the news agency said, and the Kremlin and the Russian government also use the app to share their news.

Minh Duc (According to Reuters, The Verge, TASS)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/chinh-quyen-phap-bat-giu-ceo-telegram-pavel-durov-gan-paris-204240825090933458.htm