Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old founder and CEO of Telegram, has been formally charged with six out of 12 previously mentioned offenses by French authorities and released under strict judicial supervision. The charges include being an accomplice in the administration of an online platform facilitating illegal transactions by an organized group, which could result in up to 10 years in prison if convicted.Durov was arrested on August 24 at Le Bourget airport near Paris and held for questioning for four days. He has been released on a 5 million euro bail (approximately $5.56 million), is required to report to the police twice a week, and is prohibited from leaving French territory.The Paris prosecutor’s office has accused Durov of various crimes related to the use of Telegram, including drug trafficking, child pornography distribution, fraud, and refusing to cooperate with authorities in criminal investigations. Telegram, which has around 40 million users in the European Union, has denied any wrongdoing, stating that it complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act, and that its content moderation is “within industry standards and constantly improving”.The case has sparked international debate about the responsibility of messaging app providers and the balance between freedom of expression and law enforcement. Durov’s lawyer, Dmitry Agranovsky, called the charges “absolutely ridiculous” and an attack on freedom of expression.In a separate development, French investigators are also gathering information about Durov in connection with another case, allegedly involving physical abuse of one of his sons, born in 2017.As the investigation continues, the case raises important questions about the liability of tech platforms and the challenges of regulating global messaging services in the digital age.
Key points
- Pavel Durov has been formally charged with six offenses in France, including facilitating illegal transactions.
- Durov faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charges.
- Telegram denies wrongdoing, claiming compliance with EU laws and industry-standard content moderation.
- The case sparks debate on platform responsibility and freedom of expression in digital communication.
Contradictions👾While most sources report Durov being charged with six offenses, some articles mention 12 charges, indicating possible confusion or evolving information about the exact number of charges.
