Telegram CEO Pavel Durov charged and released, barred from leaving France
After being prosecuted by French authorities and appearing in court, Pavel Durov, the creator and CEO of the messaging service Telegram, was freed from detention and put under judicial supervision.
French authorities stated they have accused Durov on criminal charges pertaining to his work at Telegram, according to a story published by Bloomberg on August 28. Before being freed from detention, he had to deposit 5 million euros (approximately $5.5 million at the time of publishing) in bail, and he was prohibited from leaving France.
In an extensively circulated video, Durov is seen leaving a Paris courtroom on August 28 in an image from the state-run Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
On August 24, Durov was arrested at an airport north of Paris and taken to court by police. At first, the Telegram CEO's arrest was prolonged by authorities until August 28, at which point it was anticipated that he would be charged in court or freed.
Prosecutors claimed following the creator of Telegram's arrest that he was being held in connection with a July court case "against person unnamed." Complicity in unlawful activity, defiance of law enforcement, money laundering, criminal association, and unreported provision of cryptology services were among the allegations.
According to French authorities, Durov assisted in the dissemination of child pornography and provided support for illegal actions via Telegram. In Switzerland, he is allegedly facing claims of child abuse relating to the French case.
Many of Durov's supporters have attacked French authorities for detaining the CEO of Telegram, saying the action violated his right to free speech.
Telegram had around 900 million active monthly users as of 2024. Durov's court appearance about users of the messaging app engaging in unlawful activity or disseminating illicit information might potentially serve as a precedent for prominent figures in the social media industry, such as Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg.
