Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested in France; Company Defends Platform Amidst Investigation

Telegram has stated that its CEO and founder, Pavel Durov, has “nothing to hide” following his arrest by French authorities outside Paris.

In an anonymous statement posted on its official Telegram channel on Sunday, the company defended itself, saying, “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” French officials have confirmed to several media outlets that Durov was detained as part of an investigation into criminal activities occurring on the social network.

Although Telegram is not encrypted by default, its minimal moderation policy has made it a popular choice for those seeking a private, censorship-free alternative to other social media platforms. The company’s statement emphasized, “Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as a means of communication and as a source of vital information. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation.”

Telegram has also played a key role in disseminating information about the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, with the latter closely monitoring Durov’s situation. The Russian Embassy in Paris has complained that the French government has not yet granted it access to Durov, who was born in Russia and holds citizenship in both France and the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is based.

In a rare interview with Tucker Carlson in April, Durov explained that Telegram aims to be a “neutral” platform and generally resists government requests for moderation. He mentioned that he typically avoids traveling to “big, geopolitical” countries due to the heightened scrutiny on the company. “I travel to places where I have confidence that those places are consistent with what we do and our values,” he said.