Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Transferred to Court Following Arrest in France

Author Hongji Feng Author Hongji Feng About Author Hongji is a crypto and tech reporter. He graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a Bachelor's and a Master's. He has previously interned at HTX (Huobi Global),... Author Profile Share Copied Last updated: August 28, 2024 01:48 EDT

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Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was released from police custody and transferred to a court in France on August 28.

According to the latest CNN report, the Paris prosecutor’s office stated that Durov would face “initial questioning and possible indictment.” He was arrested on Aug. 24 at Bourget airport near Paris.

Lack of Moderation on Durov’s Telegram

Police believe Telegram’s lack of moderation has increased criminal activity. The authorities took the billionaire into custody when he arrived from Azerbaijan in a private jet.

The report said the app has been allegedly “complicit in aiding fraudsters, drug traffickers and people spreading child pornography,” while terrorist and far-right extremist groups have utilized the platform for their operations.

French President Emmanuel Macron posted a statement on social media stating that Durov’s arrest was an apolitical action.

“The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation,” said Macron. “It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter.”

Discussion over Freedom of Speech

Elon Musk expressed his support for Durov, proclaiming that the investigation would violate freedom of speech.

“Check out this ad for the First Amendment. It is very convincing,” said Musk in a post.

Check out this ad for the First Amendment. It is very convincing.

https://t.co/mb4UCSZcgR — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024

Meanwhile, a Russian internet censor said that the U.S. government was behind the arrest and investigation with possible plans to affect the TON price.

The head of the Safe Internet League (LBI), Yekaterina Mizulina, said that the French police carried out the operation “at the request of the United States.”

The price of the Telegram-related token Toncoin (TON) has dropped by 17.5% since Durov’s arrest and is currently trading at $5.5, according to CoinMarketCap. The trading volume has also surged by 44.9% over the past 24 hours.