Telegram Founder Transferred From Police Custody To Court

Telegram creator Pavel Durov was released from police custody in France on Wednesday, August 28, and sent to court for interrogation ahead of a possible prosecution, according to French prosecutors. The Russian-born billionaire was arrested at a Paris airport days earlier.

According to sources, Durov departed the anti-fraud office outside Paris in what looked to be a police vehicle on Wednesday afternoon, and the Paris prosecutor’s office stated he would now face “initial questioning and possible indictment” in a French capital court.

Durov, 39, was held at Paris’ Bourget Airport on Saturday on a warrant stemming from Telegram’s lack of moderation. He was being probed on charges related to a variety of offenses, including allegations that his platform assisted fraudsters, drug traffickers, and those sharing child pornography.

Durov’s app, and its lack of content filtering, has also been criticized for being used by terrorists and far-right extremists.

He was detained in detention for up to 96 hours, which is the maximum period of time allowed under French law before being charged.

Durov’s detention sparked a debate over free expression and raised special worries in Ukraine and Russia, where Telegram is immensely popular and has become a major communication tool among military personnel and residents amid Moscow’s battle with its neighbor.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the decision to accuse Durov was “in no way political,” marking an unusual involvement by a French leader in a judicial process.

Durov and his brother Nikolai launched Telegram in 2013. According to a post made by Durov last month, the app currently has over 950 million users, making it one of the world’s most popular messaging systems.

Conversations on the app are encrypted, so law enforcement authorities and Telegram itself cannot see what users post.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli