Pavel Durov, CEO and founder of the social media app Telegram, was arrested by French authorities at Le Bourget Airport, north of Paris, on Saturday. The multi-billionaire was taken into custody upon landing his private jet. The 39-year-old’s detention is linked to a warrant concerning issues related to the Telegram messaging app.
The Russian Embassy in France has begun efforts to obtain details about Durov’s arrest, with critics alleging the detention is actually because Telegram is often used to share content inconvenient for Western authorities and their global wars.
France alleges Durov and his platform have failed to comply with government orders to crack down on drug trafficking, child sexual content, and fraud. Durov’s lawyers have scoffed at the claims, likening them to blaming a car manufacturer for an accident or for its cars being used for crimes.
Telegram, first released in 2013, has gained prominence in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet states. Despite a ban in Russia in 2018, the messaging app resumed operations in 2021. The National Pulse is available on Telegram here.
The case is now being represented as a major freedom of speech issue in the Western world, with critics pointing out that it is the European Union, not Russia, that finally arrested Durov.
Telegram has almost a billion global users, and Durov is believed to be worth around $10 billion. Recently, he claimed to have fathered over 100 children around the world through his work as a sperm donor.
