Telegram Asserts CEO Durov Has “Nothing to Hide” Following French Detention

Telegram has affirmed that its CEO, Pavel Durov, who was detained in France on Saturday, has “nothing to hide.” The arrest took place at an airport north of Paris and is reportedly linked to allegations against the messaging app regarding insufficient content moderation.

According to officials, the investigation centers on claims that Durov failed to adequately address criminal activities on Telegram. The app faces accusations of neglecting to cooperate with law enforcement in matters concerning drug trafficking, child sexual exploitation, and fraud.

In response to these claims, Telegram issued a statement defending its practices. The company emphasized that its moderation efforts meet industry standards and are continuously improving. “It is absurd to suggest that a platform or its owner are accountable for the abuse of that platform,” the statement read. Telegram also highlighted that Durov frequently travels across Europe and that the company adheres to European Union regulations, including the Digital Services Act, which aims to foster a safer and more accountable online environment.

The statement further noted that Telegram serves nearly a billion users worldwide as a crucial communication tool and source of vital information. “We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all,” the company concluded.

Judicial sources reported by AFP news agency have indicated that Durov’s detention was extended on Sunday and could potentially last up to 96 hours. Durov, 39, who was born in Russia and now resides in Dubai where Telegram is headquartered, holds citizenship in both the United Arab Emirates and France.

Telegram is notably popular in Russia, Ukraine, and other countries that were part of the former Soviet Union. The app faced a ban in Russia in 2018 due to Durov’s refusal to surrender user data to the Russian government. However, the ban was lifted in 2021.

Ranked among the leading social media platforms alongside Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat, Telegram was founded by Durov in 2013. He left Russia in 2014 after refusing government demands to shut down opposition communities on his previous social media platform, VKontakte, which he later sold.

Russia continues to regard Durov as a Russian citizen. The Russian foreign ministry stated that its embassy in France took immediate action to address the situation surrounding the detained Russian national, despite not receiving a formal request from Durov’s representatives. The embassy is seeking to clarify the reasons for the detention and ensure Durov’s rights are protected, though it noted difficulties in obtaining cooperation from French authorities.

In light of these events, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova questioned whether Western human rights organizations would remain silent about Durov’s detention, noting their previous criticisms of Russia’s measures against Telegram in 2018.

Telegram has faced criticism for its role in allowing groups of up to 200,000 members, which some argue facilitates the spread of misinformation and the sharing of extremist, neo-Nazi, paedophilic, or terror-related content. In the UK, the app was scrutinized for hosting far-right channels linked to recent violent incidents in English cities. While Telegram did remove some of these groups, cybersecurity experts argue that its moderation of extremist and illegal content is less robust compared to other major social media and messaging platforms.