Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Faces Multiple Charges in France, Released Under Strict Conditions

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, complicity in the distribution of child pornography, drug trafficking, and refusing to cooperate with authorities in criminal investigations.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. If convicted, Durov could face up to 10 years in prison and a €500,000 fine.The investigation, which began in February 2024, involved multiple French agencies and alleged that Durov’s platform had been used for organized crime, scams, and drug trafficking. The Paris prosecutor’s office has accused Durov of various crimes related to the use of Telegram, including money laundering related to an organized crime group.Telegram, which has around 800 million active users worldwide, 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’. Durov’s lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminski, called the charges ‘absurd’ 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 children, who lives in Switzerland with their mother. The French authorities will work with the Swiss to determine if there is already a judicial framework in place for these allegations.The case has sparked international debate about the responsibility of messaging app providers and the balance between freedom of expression and law enforcement. As the investigation continues, it 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, Telegram’s founder, has been charged with six offenses in France, including complicity in child pornography distribution and drug trafficking.
  • Durov has been released on a 5 million euro bail with strict conditions, including twice-weekly police check-ins and a travel ban.
  • The case has sparked debate about tech platform liability and the balance between free speech and law enforcement.
  • Contradictions👾While most sources agree on the charges and conditions of Durov’s release, there are slight discrepancies in the reported number of charges.

    Some sources mention six charges, while others refer to the initial 12 charges.

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