2024-09-12 23:22:40
The agency said the case against the Telegram co-founder began last July, pointing out that he was allegedly complicit in a series of illegal transactions with criminal gangs.
France defended the arrest of Pavel Durov, co-founder and CEO of Telegram, ruling out that this has to do with a political decision and making it clear that it is part of a judicial investigation.
The French Prosecutor’s Office stressed that Durov faces a series of charges against him, where They include the dissemination of child pornography, sexual abuse, fraud and drug trafficking.
The agency said that the case against the Telegram co-founder began last July, pointing out that he would be complicit in a series of illegal transactions with criminal gangs, to which is added the refusal to cooperate with the authorities.
“In this procedural framework, Pavel Durov was questioned by investigators,” the prosecution added, noting that he will be remanded in custody for the next 96 hours, while President Emmanuel Macron made it clear that the powers of the state are independent in the country.
The president responded to the various theories that emerged after the arrest of the Telegram executive, arguing in their networks that freedom of expression and defense of the entrepreneurial spirit exist in the country and “will continue to exist.”
Pavel Durov, a Russian-born billionaire who also has French and United Arab Emirates nationality – where Telegram is based – He was arrested last Friday after landing at the private airport of Le Bourget in Paris.
Following the arrest, Telegram stressed that the company “has nothing to hide and complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act: its moderation is within industry standards and is constantly improving.”