Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was released from pre-trial detention on Wednesday after spending four days in custody. He was detained by French authorities on Saturday at Le Bourget Airport outside Paris due to allegations related to violations of laws concerning drug trafficking, child sexual content, promotion of terrorism, and cyberbullying. These allegations are connected to claimed inadequate moderation practices on Telegram.
The French Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Durov’s detention was authorized by an investigative magistrate, who approved a custody period until Wednesday. The ongoing investigation focuses on Telegram’s alleged failure to comply with French regulations, particularly regarding the platform’s content moderation.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the case, emphasizing that Durov’s arrest was not politically motivated but part of an ongoing judicial investigation. According to Telegram, its moderation practices are within industry standards and are constantly improving to comply with laws such as the EU’s Digital Services Act.
Durov, originally from Russia, fled the country after refusing to comply with government demands to shut down opposition political groups on his earlier social network, VKontakte (VK), and to hand over user data to Russian authorities. In 2013, he and his brother Nikolai launched Telegram, which has since gained popularity worldwide.