Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Faces Legal Restrictions in France

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, is currently under formal investigation in France as part of a criminal probe into organized crime activities associated with his messaging platform, according to Paris prosecutors. The 39-year-old Russian-born billionaire, who also holds French citizenship, has been placed under judicial supervision and required to pay a €5 million ($5.6 million) deposit. While he has not been taken into custody, Durov is obligated to report to a French police station twice a week and is prohibited from leaving French soil.

Durov’s legal troubles began last Saturday when he was detained at Le Bourget airport near Paris. The detention was based on a warrant related to offenses connected with Telegram. The Paris prosecutors have outlined several allegations against him, including:

• Complicity in facilitating an online platform for illicit transactions by organized gangs
• Failure to cooperate with authorities
• Complicity in the distribution of sexually explicit images of minors by criminal organizations

In the French legal system, being placed under formal investigation does not imply guilt but suggests that there is enough evidence to warrant further examination. To date, Durov has not publicly commented on the ongoing investigation.

Durov’s lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminski, has defended Telegram’s compliance with European digital regulations, arguing that the platform is moderated to the same standards as other major social networks. Kaminski dismissed the allegations against Durov as “absurd,” insisting that his client is not involved in any criminal activities.

This case is notable for its unprecedented nature: a social media platform owner being arrested due to the misuse of their platform is a rare occurrence. This has sparked significant debate over the balance between freedom of speech and accountability. While tech leaders have previously faced intense scrutiny from lawmakers, this case marks an unusual instance of law enforcement action directly targeting a platform’s owner.

Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), has publicly supported Durov, suggesting that the term “moderation” is often a euphemism for censorship and calling for Durov’s release. Meanwhile, Chris Pavlovski, founder of the controversial video-sharing app Rumble, has reportedly fled Europe following Durov’s detention.

Telegram, which is now based in Dubai, faces accusations of neglecting its responsibilities to address serious criminal activities, such as the distribution of child sexual abuse material. Despite claims that its moderation tools meet industry standards, the platform has been criticized for not participating in international initiatives aimed at detecting and removing such content.

French President Emmanuel Macron has emphasized France’s commitment to freedom of expression, asserting that Durov’s detention is not politically motivated. Nonetheless, Russia has voiced concerns about the case, suggesting it could be a form of political persecution. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed skepticism about the charges, while Russian lawmaker Leonid Slutsky described the allegations as “wild” and claimed that Durov is a “hostage” of Western democratic pressures.

Telegram, which was founded in 2013, is particularly popular in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet states, as well as in Iran. The platform, with over 950 million registered users, allows large groups of up to 200,000 members and provides optional encryption for private chats. The recent legal issues have led some users, including Russian war correspondent Sasha Kots, to question the platform’s security and trustworthiness.

Kots, who uses Telegram to share updates about the war in Ukraine, speculated that Western authorities might gain access to the platform’s encryption keys.  Telegram has repeatedly declined to join international child protection programs, which has further fueled the controversy surrounding the case.

Durov, who also founded the Russian social media site VKontakte, left Russia in 2014 after refusing government demands to close opposition groups on the platform. In addition to his French citizenship, Durov holds passports from St Kitts and Nevis and the United Arab Emirates.