Pavel Durov, the Russian-French billionaire founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested on Saturday evening at Le Bourget Airport, just outside Paris.
According to reports Durov, who was travelling aboard his private jet, is said to have been detained due to an arrest warrant issued in France as part of an ongoing police investigation, Reuters First reported.
The investigation, as reported by French broadcasters TF1 TV and BFM TV, TF1, centres on the lack of content moderation on Telegram, suggesting that this has allowed criminal activities to persist unchecked on the platform. French media indicate that Durov could face a possible indictment as early as Sunday.
Telegram, an encrypted messaging service with nearly one billion users, is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine, and the former Soviet republics. It is considered one of the world’s major social media platforms, alongside Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat. Despite the platform’s significance, Telegram has yet to respond to requests for comment from Reuters. Similarly, the French Interior Ministry and police have not provided any statements regarding the arrest.
What to know
Pavel Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur, founded the messaging app Telegram with his brother in 2013. The brothers left Russia in 2014 after Durov refused government demands to shut down opposition groups on VKontakte, a social media platform he previously created and later sold. Durov explained his departure from Russia, emphasizing his desire for freedom over government control.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Telegram has played a crucial role as a source of unfiltered information from both sides of the conflict. It is frequently used by Ukrainian and Russian officials to disseminate news, often including graphic and potentially misleading content. Telegram has also become one of the few platforms where Russians can access independent news, following increased Kremlin restrictions on independent media.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has expressed concern over Durov’s recent arrest in France and has called for his release, arguing that Western non-governmental organizations should support his case. This arrest has sparked significant international reaction, echoing past tensions between Durov and Russia, such as the 2018 attempt to ban Telegram when the company refused to provide state security services with access to encrypted user messages.
Durov, who currently resides in Dubai and is estimated by Forbes to be worth $15.5 billion, has maintained that Telegram should remain a neutral platform, not involved in geopolitical issues. His arrest has drawn sharp criticism from Russian politicians, who accuse France of overreach. High-profile figures such as Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have also commented on the situation, highlighting concerns over free speech. Russian bloggers have called for global protests at French embassies, reflecting widespread discontent over Durov’s detention. As the situation unfolds, the impact on Telegram’s operations remains uncertain.
