Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Arrested in France Over App Violations

Paris, MINA – Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday night over alleged violations related to social media apps.

According to French media, his detention is linked to accusations of failing to manage his social media app properly.

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that an investigation into Durov is ongoing but declined to provide further comments.

The Washington Post reported that the Russian Embassy in Paris had requested consular access to Durov and demanded that French authorities “ensure his rights are protected.”

The embassy stated, “Up until today, French authorities have so far avoided cooperating on this issue,” in a statement posted on Telegram.

Additional information indicates that officials are in communication with Durov’s lawyer.

Ofmin, a French police body established last year focused on preventing violence against minors, claims Durov has allegedly failed to moderately moderate criminal activity.

“The crux of the issue is the lack of moderation and cooperation by the platform (which has nearly 1 billion users), particularly in combating child sexual abuse,” wrote Jean-Michel Bernigaud, Ofmin’s Secretary General, on LinkedIn.

Telegram, launched in August 2013, is a cloud-based messaging app. The platform allows users to send messages, photos, and large files, and to create groups of up to 200,000 people or channels for broadcasting to an unlimited audience. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)