French justice is due to decide on Wednesday whether to charge and eventually order preventive detention for Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who was brought before the court after an arrest on Saturday that sparked criticism around the world.
Durov was transferred to the Paris Palace of Justice in the afternoon after several days in police custody, awaiting possible charges by the French courts, a source close to the case told AFP.
The 39-year-old billionaire, arrested on Saturday at Le Bourget airport north of Paris, is accused of failing to act against the dissemination of criminal content on his encrypted messaging service.
The company, which has 900 million users, said it “complies with EU laws” and that “it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuses.”
Telegram has positioned itself as an alternative to American messaging platforms, criticised for their commercial exploitation of users’ personal data, by defending confidentiality.
Encrypted messaging plays a key role in the context of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, which began in February 2022, and is actively used by politicians and observers on both sides.
But critics accuse Telegram of hosting content that is often illegal, from extreme sexual images to disinformation and drug-buying services.
French justice had opened an investigation on July 8 for complicity in organized crimes on the platform such as drug trafficking, child pornography, fraud and money laundering in an organized gang, among others.
His bodyguard and assistant, who were also arrested on Saturday evening upon their arrival in France with Durov, were released after being questioned, according to a source close to the case.
Now, the courts must decide whether to release him without charges, like his employees, or decide to charge him and eventually order preventive detention or judicial control measures.
Support from Musk and Snowden
Durov, who has been living in Dubai in recent years and also holds a French passport, arrived in Paris from Baku and was scheduled to have dinner in the French capital, according to sources close to the case.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also visited Azerbaijan on August 18 and 19, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the two had met.
Moscow on Tuesday called the charges “very serious” and warned France not to try to “intimidate” Durov, even as French President Emmanuel Macron denied his detention was “political.”
Durov, whose fortune is estimated by Forbes magazine at $15.5 billion, has also received support from the head of the social network X, Elon Musk, and the American whistleblower based in Russia Edward Snowden.
According to Telegram, the founder is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, where the company is based. This country has asked France for consular access to Durov.
This enigmatic figure, who rarely speaks in public, left Russia 10 years ago, and proudly promotes his lifestyle, which includes ice baths and abstinence from alcohol and coffee.
In recent days, many questions have arisen about the timing and circumstances of his arrest, in particular why he flew to Paris when there was an arrest warrant out for him.
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