France prolongs Durov's detention, reports say
French judicial authorities have confirmed that Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been arrested, with his detention extended beyond Sunday. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, was arrested upon his arrival in Paris over the weekend, as confirmed by French judicial authorities on Sunday. According to AFP, who cited a source close to the investigation, Durov's detention has been extended by the investigating magistrate.
The 39-year-old tech entrepreneur, a Russian national who also holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, will remain in custody beyond Sunday night. In France, the initial interrogation period is typically limited to 96 hours, but it can be extended to 144 hours for serious offenses such as drug trafficking and terrorism. During this time, the judge must decide whether to file charges and continue custody or release the individual.
Sources speaking anonymously informed the French news agency that Durov was arrested under a warrant issued by France’s OFMIN, the agency responsible for tackling violence against minors. The investigation focuses on allegations of fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and terrorism promotion.
Reuters has also reported, citing unnamed sources, that the inquiry is being led by a cybersecurity gendarmerie unit along with the national anti-fraud police.
The Paris prosecutor’s office communicated to RT that a press release regarding the case is expected later on Monday.
Previous reports from French media indicated that Durov's detention at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday was linked to alleged offenses associated with Telegram. Authorities are reportedly investigating his potential complicity in various crimes that may have occurred through the messaging platform, attributed to inadequate moderation.
Durov co-founded Telegram in 2013 in Russia with his brother, and the app has grown to approximately 1 billion active monthly users. He left Russia in the mid-2010s and relocated to Dubai, where he obtained French citizenship in 2021.
In response to Durov’s arrest, Telegram issued a statement asserting that the platform "abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act – its moderation is within industry standards," and contended that claims implying the platform or its owner are accountable for user misconduct are "absurd."
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
The 39-year-old tech entrepreneur, a Russian national who also holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, will remain in custody beyond Sunday night. In France, the initial interrogation period is typically limited to 96 hours, but it can be extended to 144 hours for serious offenses such as drug trafficking and terrorism. During this time, the judge must decide whether to file charges and continue custody or release the individual.
Sources speaking anonymously informed the French news agency that Durov was arrested under a warrant issued by France’s OFMIN, the agency responsible for tackling violence against minors. The investigation focuses on allegations of fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and terrorism promotion.
Reuters has also reported, citing unnamed sources, that the inquiry is being led by a cybersecurity gendarmerie unit along with the national anti-fraud police.
The Paris prosecutor’s office communicated to RT that a press release regarding the case is expected later on Monday.
Previous reports from French media indicated that Durov's detention at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday was linked to alleged offenses associated with Telegram. Authorities are reportedly investigating his potential complicity in various crimes that may have occurred through the messaging platform, attributed to inadequate moderation.
Durov co-founded Telegram in 2013 in Russia with his brother, and the app has grown to approximately 1 billion active monthly users. He left Russia in the mid-2010s and relocated to Dubai, where he obtained French citizenship in 2021.
In response to Durov’s arrest, Telegram issued a statement asserting that the platform "abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act – its moderation is within industry standards," and contended that claims implying the platform or its owner are accountable for user misconduct are "absurd."
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
