Telegram CEO restricted from leaving France in criminal inquiry

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, is now the subject of a formal investigation in France. Paris prosecutors are looking into potential links between the messaging app and organized crime.

Mr Durov, 39, has not been detained but is under judicial supervision. He must also pay a deposit of €5m (£4.2m; $5.6m).

In addition to being a Russian-born billionaire, the individual in question holds French citizenship. As part of their legal obligations, they must report to a French police station twice a week and are prohibited from leaving French territory.

Upon his arrival at Le Bourget airport north of Paris last Saturday, Mr Durov was immediately detained under a warrant for offences related to the app.

According to a statement released on Wednesday by the Paris prosecutors, Mr Durov has been formally investigated for a range of alleged offences, which include:

•     Failure to cooperate with authorities

•     Facilitation of illicit transactions by an organized gang through the administration of an online platform

•     Distribution of erotic images of children by organized criminals

In France, being placed under formal investigation does not necessarily entail culpability or lead to a trial; instead, it suggests that judges believe there is sufficient evidence to continue the investigation.

Mr. Durov has not issued any public statements regarding the most recent developments.

According to his counsel, David-Olivier Kaminski, Telegram was moderated according to the same standards as other social networks and adhered to all European digital regulations.

He further stated that it was "absurd" to imply that his client could be implicated in "criminal acts that do not concern him either directly or indirectly."

The detention of a social media platform proprietor due to misuse is unprecedented, and it has incited a ferocious online debate regarding accountability and freedom of expression.

In the past, we have observed tech executives being taken before legislators for confrontational grillings regarding their practices and shortcomings; however, airport law enforcement has not responded to this situation.

Elon Musk, the proprietor of X, has defended Mr. Durov. He has contended that "moderation" is a "propaganda word" for censorship and advocated for his release.

According to Chris Pavlovski, the inventor of the controversial video-sharing application Rumble, he has departed Europe because of Mr. Durov's detention.

Although the majority of the world's largest social networks collaborate with national and international organizations to address severe criminal offences, including the dissemination of images of child sexual abuse, Telegram is accused of disregarding them.

The organization, headquartered in Dubai, maintains that its moderation instruments satisfy industry standards.

Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that France was profoundly committed to freedom of expression and that the decision to detain Mr. Durov was "in no way... political."

On the other hand, WhatsApp restricts its maximum group size to just over 1,000, while Telegram allows groups of up to 200,000 individuals to share and comment on information and content.

Although Telegram messages can be encrypted, restricting their visibility to the originator and recipient, this feature is not enabled by default and must be manually enabled in private conversations.

Paris prosecutors said Monday evening that Mr. Durov was detained during a cyber-criminality investigation. Telegram responded that Mr. Durov had "nothing to hide."

According to Russia, the charges could be perceived as "intimidation" against a significant technology corporation for political purposes without a "serious basis of evidence."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday that the Kremlin is prepared to offer all necessary assistance and support due to Mr. Durov's Russian citizenship. "But here, the situation is complicated because he is also a French citizen."

On Thursday, Leonid Slutsky, a Russian parliamentarian, stated that the allegations against Mr. Durov were "fanciful" and that Telegram's CEO was a "hostage of the dictatorship of democracy of the collective West."

Telegram is considered one of the most significant social media platforms.

It was established in 2013 and is particularly popular in Iran, Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet Union states.

Russian combat correspondent Sasha Kots wondered whether users would ever "trust Telegram as before."

Kots, known for his frequent updates on the conflict in Ukraine to his extensive Telegram audience, indicated that the network's encryption keys may now be accessible to French and Western authorities.

"The truth is that no matter how events around Durov develop now, one can never be sure of the messenger's security," he communicated via Telegram.

On Wednesday, the TGE disclosed that Telegram, which has over 950 million registered users, has consistently declined to participate in international initiatives designed to identify and eliminate online child abuse content.

Telegram has declined to participate in child protection initiatives, prompting the BBC to request a response.

In 2014, Mr. Durov, who also founded the famous Russian social media company VKontakte, departed Russia after declining to comply with government demands to suppress opposition communities on the platform.

Additionally, he possesses passports from the United Arab Emirates and St. Kitts and Nevis.