Pavel Durov, the CEO and co-founder of the popular messaging app Telegram, was arrested on Saturday at Paris-Le Bourget airport after arriving from Baku, Azerbaijan.
French authorities detained Durov under a warrant related to alleged criminal activities facilitated through Telegram, including drug trafficking, child sexual content, and fraud.
Telegram responded swiftly to the arrest, issuing a statement on Sunday asserting that Durov, 39, has “nothing to hide.” The company criticized the accusations, stating, “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” Telegram stated that its moderation efforts are “within industry standards and constantly improving,” and they have been in compliance with European Union laws, particularly the Digital Services Act.
The Kremlin has taken a cautious stance, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov advising patience until the official charges against Durov are made clear. Russia’s embassy in France has been working to clarify the situation, demanding consular access to Durov and criticizing French authorities for their lack of cooperation. The Russian Foreign Ministry, through spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, questioned whether Western human rights organizations would remain silent on Durov’s arrest, drawing parallels to past criticism of Russia’s actions against Telegram.
Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Vienna, accused France of acting as a “totalitarian” society and described Durov as “naive” for trusting Western claims of defending freedom of speech. Meanwhile, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev commented that Durov had misjudged the situation, believing his problems were limited to Russia, while Western authorities still view him as “Russian – unpredictable and dangerous.”
International reactions have also surfaced, with Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), posting “#FreePavel” and criticizing European censorship. Edward Snowden called the arrest “an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association,” while Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed his support for Durov on social media.
Durov’s detention, which could last up to 96 hours, is being closely watched by both Russian and international observers. Telegram, founded in 2013 by Durov and his brother Nikolai, has nearly a billion users worldwide and remains a significant communication tool, especially in conflict zones like the Russia-Ukraine war.
