Telegram revealed that Mr. Pavel Durov, the CEO and co-founder of the company who was arrested in Paris, has nothing to hide. His arrest is nonsense.
Telegram said in a statement that the company's CEO and co-founder Pavel Durov, who was arrested in Paris, has nothing to hide. It is nonsense that he was arrested for crimes related to Telegram. Messaging app
Billionaire Durov, 39, was arrested at Le Bourget airport outside Paris shortly after arriving on a private jet from Azerbaijan late on Saturday (August 24).
Telegram CEO arrested, Russian officials warn France to give him rights, while X company owner Elon Musk criticizes freedom of expression in Europe
Telegram issued a short statement. It did not give details about the arrest but stated that the company's headquarters are in Dubai. Compliance with EU law and supervision of the company “with industry standards and continuous development”
“Pavel Durov has nothing to hide. He has traveled extensively throughout Europe. It is nonsense to claim that the platform or the owner of the platform is responsible for the violation of that platform,” the telegram said, adding that “We are waiting for a quick resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.”
The arrest of Durov, who holds dual French and Emirati citizenship, was a surprise move, a French police source said. It is part of a preliminary police investigation into allegations that the platform is enabling a range of crimes. Due to the absence of the official and lack of cooperation with the police
The investigation is being led by the French Cybersecurity Police and the French National Fraud Police and an investigating judge with experience in organised crime.
Telegram is very popular in Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet countries. The app was banned in Russia in 2018 after it refused to hand over user data. Later this year, Russian authorities lifted the ban.
Telegram is ranked as one of the most important social media platforms after Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and WeChat T
Mr Durov founded Telegram in 2013. He left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with government demands to close down opposition communities on the social media platform VK, which he sold. Meanwhile, Russian authorities still consider Mr Durov a Russian citizen. The Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian embassy in France said they “take the necessary steps in such cases immediately. To clarify the situation regarding Russian citizens, although no request has been received from Mr Durov’s representatives.”
Durov, who was born in the former Soviet city of Leningrad and is a graduate of St. Petersburg University, describes his political views as “liberal” and says he is inspired by Apple founder Steve Jobs.
Forbes estimates Durov’s net worth at $15.5 billion. In April, Durov said some governments were trying to pressure him, but the app should remain a neutral platform and not “geopolitical players.”
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