PressSplit
Telegram boss Pavel Durov remains in custody for the time being after his arrest in France. © STEVE JENNINGS /AFP
The Russian-French businessman Pavel Durov is currently in prison in France. His messenger Telegram also plays a role in the Ukraine war.
Paris – Telegram has long been accused of not taking consistent enough action against illegal content. This has now had consequences for company founder Pavel Durov – he is now being arrested in France. The 39-year-old is being criticized for using Telegram to provide a platform for extremists and conspiracy theorists.
Pawel Durov case: Lavrov spokeswoman Zakharova intervenes
The Russian embassy in France has already taken up the case, according to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry with Sergei Lavrov. The French authorities have been called upon to allow consular access to Durov, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, according to the state news agency Tass.
“The only problem is that Durov also has French citizenship,” said Zakharova. “Accordingly, France will see him first and foremost as its citizen.”
Telegram calls allegations against messenger founder Durow “absurd”
The St. Petersburg native describes himself as a libertarian and founded the messenger service after disputes with the Russian authorities. Several French media outlets, citing investigators, unanimously reported that police custody had been extended after Durov’s arrest in Le Bourget on Saturday evening (24 August).
The chat service itself defends itself against the allegations. In a statement, the company wrote that it adheres to all applicable rules. Durow has “nothing to hide” and travels frequently in Europe. In addition, it is “absurd” to hold a platform or its owner responsible for the misuse of the service by third parties.
Pavel Durov’s Telegram service is also used in the Ukraine war
The French judiciary may see things differently. According to reports, preliminary investigations against Durov have been underway for some time. The suspicion is that he was complicit in drug trafficking, fraud and several crimes related to child abuse due to his lack of intervention at Telegram and inadequate cooperation with authorities. The Franco-Russian was therefore wanted by the authorities.
Telegram is one of the most important online networks in Russia, and is also used by many authorities and politicians for communication. In the Ukraine war, the service is used by both sides to communicate, including on the situation at the front in Ukraine.
Putin’s circle of power in the Kremlin – the Russian president’s confidants
View photo gallery
The “Russian Mark Zuckerberg” Durow competed with Facebook
In his home country of Russia, Durow made a name for himself in 2006 by founding the online network VKontakte (VK). In the former Soviet Union, the platform even outshines Facebook. Durow was therefore nicknamed the “Russian Mark Zuckerberg”.
But Durov is at odds with the Kremlin because he refuses to share personal user data with the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB. He eventually sold VK to businessmen close to the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin and left Russia shortly after the annexation of Crimea in 2014. (frs with news agencies)
