What we know about the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov

The arrest of the billionaire Telegram founder on French soil was not a political decision, the French president said after Pavel Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport at the weekend. He was accused of crimes related to the messaging service.

While Telegram says its CEO has “nothing to hide,” French media reports suggest the executive remained in custody until Sunday while authorities investigate allegations of fraud, drug trafficking, organized crime, promoting terrorism and cyberbullying related to the platform.

His arrest was part of a larger investigation into allegations of “complicity” in illegal activities and the possession and distribution of pornographic images of minors, the Paris public prosecutor's office said.

The statement mentioned twelve different crimes that were the subject of the investigation and were linked to organized crime.

President Emmanuel Macron posted on social media that he had seen “false information” about France following Durov's arrest, adding: “This is in no way a political decision. The decision is up to the judges.”

As of Tuesday morning, no charges had been filed against Durov and few details of the investigation were available. Under French law, he can remain in pre-trial detention for up to four days, so judges must decide on Wednesday whether to charge him or release him.

Based in Dubai, Telegram Messenger is among the top five most downloaded apps in the world, according to the company. In 2024, it surpassed 900 million monthly active users, making it the fourth most popular messaging platform in the world after WhatsApp, WeChat and Facebook Messenger (META).

It offers end-to-end encryption – effectively protecting data from interception – and places a high value on privacy. However, these features have made it a popular venue for criminal activity.

“Telegram complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act – its moderation is in line with industry standards and is constantly improving,” the company said in a statement.

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the misuse of that platform,” said the message posted on the company's official channel in the Telegram app. “We await a speedy resolution of this situation.”

The story continues

The Russian Embassy in Paris said in a statement that it had asked for clarifications on the arrest but had received no response from the French side.

“We still do not know what exactly Durov is accused of,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday in his first comment on Durov's detention.

“We have not heard any official statements. Before I can even say anything about it, we need clarity,” he added, according to the BBC.

The United Arab Emirates announced late Monday that it had asked the French government for consular access for Durov, who also holds Emirati citizenship.

“The United Arab Emirates is closely following the case of its citizen Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, who was arrested by the French authorities at Paris-Le Bourget airport, and stresses that the United Arab Emirates has submitted a request to the Government of the French Republic to urgently provide him with all necessary consular services,” Abu Dhabi's Foreign Ministry said.

Read more: The best mortgage deals of the week in the UK

The arrest sparked an online outcry among privacy and encryption advocates, with figures such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk supporting him. Musk posted a clip on X of Durov being interviewed, with the caption #FreePavel.

Meanwhile, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of the cryptocurrency Ethereum (ETH-USD), wrote: “This looks very bad and is worrying for the future of software and communication freedom in Europe.”

Whistleblower Edward Snowden also described the arrest as “an attack on the fundamental human rights of freedom of expression and association.”

The price of Toncoin (TON11419-USD), the cryptocurrency associated with Telegram that can be used as an in-app payment method, fell as a result.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple And Android.