Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested at Paris Airport, French Media Reveal
The founder and CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, was detained by French authorities at Paris Le Bourget airport after arriving from Azerbaijan on Saturday evening, according to reports from French media outlets LCI and TF1.
Investigators from France’s National Anti-Fraud Office, which operates under the customs department, informed Durov that he was being taken into police custody. French prosecutors have yet to comment, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Durov, 39, is reportedly the subject of a French arrest warrant tied to accusations that his messaging platform has facilitated money laundering, drug trafficking, and the circulation of content linked to the sexual exploitation of minors.
Criticism of Telegram’s lax content moderation policies has long been voiced by Western governments. The arrest has sparked outrage in Russia, with government officials denouncing what they describe as hypocrisy regarding freedom of speech.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova pointed out that various international human rights organizations condemned Russia’s 2018 decision to block Telegram, questioning whether those same entities would advocate for Durov’s release from French custody.
