Scott Adam Gordon / Android Authority
Summary
- Telegram co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France this weekend, and now his detention has been extended.
- France could extend it further, up to 96 hours, which it may do.
- Although no formal charges have been announced against Durov, he is likely being held due to Telegram’s reputation as an app widely used by criminals.
On Saturday, the co-founder and CEO of TelegramPavel Durov was arrested at Le Bourget Airport outside Paris, France. French officials working on behalf of the country’s Office of Mining (OFMIN, which focuses on the protection of minors) detained Durov based on allegations that he fails to curb illegal activity on Telegram, including child exploitation, fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and promoting terrorism.
Now, anonymous sources speaking to Agence France-Presse (through Yahoo News) say France has apparently extended Durov’s detention beyond the 24 hours initially planned. France can do this multiple times — up to 96 hours of detention — without formally charging Durov. Ultimately, France will have to charge Durov or release him when those 96 hours expire.
The OFMIN arrest warrant for Durov has been outstanding for some time. It is unclear why Durov would have chosen to come to France so brazenly, knowing that he would likely be arrested. Theories abound online, from Russian President Vladimir Putin trying to stop him (and Durov chose to be arrested in France to escape) to Durov simply wanting to fan the flames. This last theory is not so strange, considering Durov’s track record of doing just that.
Telegram is known for its end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) chats and server-encrypted public “channels.” The app’s built-in anonymity makes it a boon for journalists and people living under authoritarian governments. However, that same anonymity makes Telegram the perfect venue for crime, from drug dealing to planning terrorist attacks to the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Durov argues that for Telegram to remain a vital tool for those who use it with good intentions, it must adopt a “hands-off” attitude. However, France’s OFMIN disagrees and believes that Durov should be held accountable for criminal activity on the platform or, at the very least, should do more to moderate communications on his app.
France still has about 48 hours to charge Durov or release him. Durov, who was born in Russia, has French citizenship, including a French passport. If authorities release him, he could stay and even live in the country indefinitely. Durov currently lives in Dubai, where Telegram is based.