Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has expressed confusion regarding his arrest and subsequent detention in France in August 2024. In a recent interview, Durov discussed the situation, suggesting that the motives behind his arrest might have been political, linked to French authorities' efforts to crack down on alleged illicit activity on the messaging platform.
Durov was arrested at Le Bourget Airport outside Paris on August 24, 2024, and later indicted on six charges by French prosecutors. These charges included alleged complicity in criminal activity, refusing to respond to French authorities, money laundering, criminal association, providing crypto services without proper declaration, and involvement in the spread of illicit content allegedly facilitated by Telegram's limited moderation. If convicted, Durov could face up to 10 years in prison.
In his first interview since the arrest, Durov told Tucker Carlson that French authorities seemed primarily interested in how Telegram operates, "as if it's some kind of mystery." He emphasized that Telegram is a large company, audited by a Big Four accounting firm, and works with the biggest financial institutions. Durov stated that Telegram spends millions of dollars every quarter on legal compliance to ensure it doesn't violate laws and operates in almost 200 countries. "So it was very confusing for me to get detained in Paris and learn that Telegram did something wrong or didn't process some requests," he said.
Durov has denied the allegations, stating that Telegram has done nothing wrong. He argued that French authorities did not follow due process in requesting information from him or Telegram. According to Durov, the accusations of failing to respond to legal requests were inaccurate. He also claimed that the interpretation of complicity was extensive, even for the French legal system. Durov's lawyers have described his detention as unprecedented.
Following his arrest, Durov was barred from leaving France and placed under judicial supervision. However, in March 2025, French authorities suspended the "obligations of judicial supervision," allowing him to return to his home in Dubai temporarily. Durov thanked the French judges for allowing him to go home and his lawyers for demonstrating that Telegram has met and exceeded its legal obligations regarding moderation, cooperation, and fighting crime.
The arrest of Durov has sparked outrage and debate. Some observers, including Edward Snowden, have called the arrest an "assault on the basic human rights of speech and association." Others argue that it is necessary to hold platform owners accountable for illegal activities that occur on their services. Some experts have described the arrest of a technology platform CEO due to issues with platform moderation as "unprecedented." The Russian Embassy in France has also released a statement saying it had asked French authorities for an explanation for Durov's detention and asked that his rights be protected and consular access be granted.
Durov himself has criticized French authorities for applying outdated laws from the "pre-smartphone era" to charge him personally for the actions of Telegram users, arguing that any legal action should be directed at the company itself. He has also stated that holding innovators responsible for potential misuse of their tools could stifle technological progress.
Despite the controversy, Telegram has stated that it abides by EU laws and its content moderation is "within industry standards and constantly improving." The company has also pointed out that Durov "has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe."
