Media reports: Durov undergoes first thorough interrogation in court
A French judge has reportedly interrogated Pavel Durov regarding the charges he faces, marking the first time he has been questioned since his detention in August. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has faced questions from a Paris court regarding the charges against him, more than three months after his arrest, as reported by AFP news agency on Friday from an unnamed source.
Earlier court sessions had focused on procedural matters related to the billionaire’s detention. The accusations against Durov involve his platform's alleged engagement in various criminal activities.
Accompanied by his lawyers, David-Olivier Kaminski and Christophe Ingrain, Durov remarked that he “trusts French justice,” although he declined to comment on the specifics of the case or the allegations leveled at him.
The Russian national, who also holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, was taken into custody after arriving in Paris on August 24. He faces multiple charges, including complicity in distributing child pornography, facilitating drug trafficking, and money laundering. These charges arose from claims that Telegram’s insufficient moderation policies enable extensive abuse of the messaging platform.
Following his arrest, Durov was released on a €5 million bail but has been prohibited from leaving France while the case is pending. Some of the accusations against him may entail sentences of as much as ten years.
Durov has strongly denied the claims against him. In October, he disclosed that Telegram has been adhering to privacy regulations in various countries and has been providing information about criminals to law enforcement for the past six years.
One of Durov’s lawyers described as “absurd” the notion that his client was “involved” in the crimes alleged to be conducted through the messaging service. An anonymous source familiar with the investigation informed AFP that the ongoing legal process has prompted a more proactive response from Telegram to legal demands in France and beyond.
In comments made in August regarding Durov’s detention, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out the illogicality of holding the entrepreneur accountable for offenses committed through his network. He added that Paris could potentially use similar reasoning to detain CEOs of car manufacturers like Renault or Citroën, noting that terrorists utilize vehicles as well.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
Earlier court sessions had focused on procedural matters related to the billionaire’s detention. The accusations against Durov involve his platform's alleged engagement in various criminal activities.
Accompanied by his lawyers, David-Olivier Kaminski and Christophe Ingrain, Durov remarked that he “trusts French justice,” although he declined to comment on the specifics of the case or the allegations leveled at him.
The Russian national, who also holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, was taken into custody after arriving in Paris on August 24. He faces multiple charges, including complicity in distributing child pornography, facilitating drug trafficking, and money laundering. These charges arose from claims that Telegram’s insufficient moderation policies enable extensive abuse of the messaging platform.
Following his arrest, Durov was released on a €5 million bail but has been prohibited from leaving France while the case is pending. Some of the accusations against him may entail sentences of as much as ten years.
Durov has strongly denied the claims against him. In October, he disclosed that Telegram has been adhering to privacy regulations in various countries and has been providing information about criminals to law enforcement for the past six years.
One of Durov’s lawyers described as “absurd” the notion that his client was “involved” in the crimes alleged to be conducted through the messaging service. An anonymous source familiar with the investigation informed AFP that the ongoing legal process has prompted a more proactive response from Telegram to legal demands in France and beyond.
In comments made in August regarding Durov’s detention, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out the illogicality of holding the entrepreneur accountable for offenses committed through his network. He added that Paris could potentially use similar reasoning to detain CEOs of car manufacturers like Renault or Citroën, noting that terrorists utilize vehicles as well.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
