Key takeaways
- The Telegram founder was questioned in court for the first time after his arrest in August.
- French justice is investigating whether Telegram is complicit in criminal activities due to its alleged inability to fight against the dissemination of illegal content.
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Pavel Durov, CEO of the messaging platform Telegram, appeared before a Paris judge for his first formal questioning as part of a criminal investigation into the platform’s alleged facilitation of illegal activities, an official told AFP. source close to the file.
Durov arrived at the Paris courthouse around 10 a.m. (local time) accompanied by Me David-Olivier Kaminski and Christophe Ingrain. He told reporters he “trusts the French justice system” but provided no further comment on the legal proceedings.
The Telegram founder was arrested in August at Paris’ Le Bourget airport and detained for four days before being charged with offenses linked to organized crime. Prosecutors allege he failed to implement adequate measures to prevent criminal activity and the distribution of illegal content on Telegram.
After his release, the authorities imposed strict judicial control, including a bail of 5 million euros, twice-weekly checks at the police station and restrictions on leaving France.
Lawyer Kaminski called it “totally absurd” to claim that Durov was “involved” in crimes committed via Telegram.
“Telegram complies in all respects with European rules regarding digital technology,” Kaminski said in a statement released in August.
Impact of legal proceedings
A source close to the investigation told AFP that the legal action had prompted Telegram to cooperate more with legal requests in France and abroad.
Following Durov’s arrest in France, Telegram announced it would begin sharing user data with authorities as part of a broader effort to combat illegal activity. The decision sparked much discussion due to the platform’s acknowledgment of its commitment to privacy and encrypted messaging.
Indeed, Telegram has been sharing IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities as part of criminal investigations since 2018, Durov said in his first remarks after his arrest. He said the updated policy did not bring major changes.
The 40-year-old billionaire, who has French, Russian and Emirati nationalities, also spoke about his arrest, saying he was surprised to be held responsible for the content published by users. He called the French approach misguided.
However, Durov acknowledged that Telegram’s rapid growth has made it easier for criminals to misuse the platform.
Toncoin (TON), a crypto asset closely linked to Telegram and Durov, crashed 30% shortly after Durov’s arrest. Despite the initial slowdown, TON has started to recover, currently trading near $7, according to CoinGecko data.
The Kremlin’s warning
Russian officials view the legal proceedings against Durov as politically motivated rather than purely judicial.
At the end of August, Moscow reacted for the first time to Durov’s arrest. The Kremlin, through its spokesperson Dmitri Peskov, warned France against what it considers an attempt to “intimidate” Durov.
Peskov emphasized that the nature of the accusations against Durov required equally strong evidence.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Durov’s arrest was not a political decision but was part of a judicial investigation. He reiterated France’s attachment to freedom of expression and communication.
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