Telegram Founder Pavel Durov’s Arrest Ignites Diplomatic Tension Between France and Russia

Jimmy Aki
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Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram’s popular messaging app, was arrested on Saturday evening as he stepped off his private plane at Paris’s Le Bourget airport.

This has ignited a diplomatic row between France and Russia and raised concerns about platform moderation and free speech.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrest Sparks International Tension

According to reports from French broadcasters LCI and TF1, Pavel Durov was detained on an arrest warrant alleging that Telegram has been used for money laundering, drug trafficking, and other offenses.

The warrant was reportedly issued at the request of a special unit within France’s interior ministry that investigates crimes against minors, including online sexual exploitation.

Telegram addressed the arrest for the first time on Sunday, stating, “Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act,” and “Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe.”

The Russian Embassy in France also responded to the arrest, releasing a statement early Sunday that criticized French authorities for their lack of engagement.

“After the news of P.V. Durov’s detention appeared in the media, we immediately requested clarification from the French authorities about the reasons and demanded that they ensure the protection of his rights and provide consular access. As of today, the French side has so far avoided engaging on this issue,” the statement read.

The Wall Street Journal reported that some Russian officials have described the arrest as an indirect hostile act towards Russia, further straining international relations.

French officials are expected to provide a statement on Monday, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office.

Similarly, French media reports suggest that Durov could face charges related to Telegram’s operations and the lack of moderation on the platform, ranging from money laundering to “pedocriminal content.”

While some news outlets have reported that Durov could face up to 20 years in prison, this figure was not present in initial reporting by French media.

Industry Reactions and Free Speech Debate

Durov’s arrest has triggered reactions from numerous high-profile figures in the tech and crypto industries.

Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), posted “#FreePavel” and criticized the arrest in multiple posts. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and TRON founder Justin Sun also supported Durov.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. commented on the urgency of protecting free speech, while Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski argued that France had “crossed a red line” with the arrest.

Conservative commentator Ian Miles Cheong suggested the arrest was part of a broader attempt to control information and silence dissent.

Telegram, which boasts over 950 million users, is a messaging app comparable to WhatsApp but with additional features allowing large groups to communicate across different channels.

Durov and his brother founded the app following the Russian government’s crackdown after mass pro-democracy protests in Moscow in 2011 and 2012.

The platform’s commitment to privacy and free speech has made it popular among dissidents and activists, but it has also faced criticism for allegedly enabling illegal activities and spreading misinformation.

As of press time, Durov’s legal status remains unclear, and the international community awaits further details on the charges and potential diplomatic resolutions.

About Jimmy Aki PRO INVESTOR

Based in the UK, Jimmy is an economic researcher with outstanding hands-on and heads-on experience in Macroeconomic finance analysis, forecasting and planning. He has honed his skills having worked cross-continental as a finance analyst, which gives him inter-cultural experience. He currently has a strong passion for regulation and macroeconomic trends as it allows him peek under the global bonnet to see how the world works.