Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested in France

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested in France

Paris, The Gulf Observer: Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, was arrested at Le Bourget Airport outside Paris, according to reports from TF1 TV and BFM TV, citing unnamed sources. Durov, who was traveling aboard his private jet from Azerbaijan, was detained around 20:00 (18:00 GMT) on Saturday.

The arrest reportedly stems from an ongoing preliminary police investigation in France, where Durov has been targeted by an arrest warrant. The investigation is said to focus on the lack of moderators on Telegram, a situation that police believe has allowed criminal activity to proliferate unchecked on the platform.

Telegram has not yet responded to a request for comment from Reuters, and both the French Interior Ministry and police have declined to comment on the situation.

In response to the reports, Russia’s TASS news agency stated that the Russian embassy in France is taking “immediate steps” to clarify the circumstances surrounding Durov’s arrest.