Media reports: Telegram founder faces first extensive court questioning
A French judge has allegedly interrogated Pavel Durov regarding the charges he faces for the first time since his arrest in August. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Telegram's founder, Pavel Durov, has faced questioning from a Paris court for the first time regarding the charges against him, over three months after his summer arrest, according to a report by AFP news agency quoting an anonymous source.
Prior court sessions primarily dealt with procedural matters concerning the tech billionaire's detention. The charges against Durov involve his messaging platform's alleged connection to various criminal activities.
Accompanied by his lawyers, David-Olivier Kaminski and Christophe Ingrain, Durov expressed that he “trusts French justice,” though he declined to discuss the specifics of the case or the accusations brought against him.
The Russian national, who also holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, was taken into custody upon arriving in Paris on August 24. He has been charged with several offenses, including complicity in distributing child pornography, as well as facilitating drug trafficking and money laundering. These allegations are based on claims that Telegram's insufficient moderation practices enable extensive misuse of the platform.
Although Durov was subsequently released on €5 million bail, he is prohibited from leaving France while legal proceedings are underway, with some charges potentially resulting in sentences of up to ten years.
Durov has strongly denied the accusations. In October, he disclosed that the messaging service had been adhering to privacy regulations in various countries and had been sharing information about criminal activities with law enforcement for the last six years.
One of Durov’s attorneys described it as “absurd” to suggest that their client was “involved” in crimes facilitated by the messaging platform. An unnamed source familiar with the investigation noted that the ongoing legal proceedings are positively impacting law enforcement in France and beyond, as Telegram has begun to respond more proactively to legal requests.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov commented on Durov's detention in August, questioning the rationale behind holding the entrepreneur responsible for crimes committed through his network. He added that by the same logic, Paris could similarly arrest the CEOs of automobile companies like Renault or Citroën, since their vehicles are also used by terrorists.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
Prior court sessions primarily dealt with procedural matters concerning the tech billionaire's detention. The charges against Durov involve his messaging platform's alleged connection to various criminal activities.
Accompanied by his lawyers, David-Olivier Kaminski and Christophe Ingrain, Durov expressed that he “trusts French justice,” though he declined to discuss the specifics of the case or the accusations brought against him.
The Russian national, who also holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, was taken into custody upon arriving in Paris on August 24. He has been charged with several offenses, including complicity in distributing child pornography, as well as facilitating drug trafficking and money laundering. These allegations are based on claims that Telegram's insufficient moderation practices enable extensive misuse of the platform.
Although Durov was subsequently released on €5 million bail, he is prohibited from leaving France while legal proceedings are underway, with some charges potentially resulting in sentences of up to ten years.
Durov has strongly denied the accusations. In October, he disclosed that the messaging service had been adhering to privacy regulations in various countries and had been sharing information about criminal activities with law enforcement for the last six years.
One of Durov’s attorneys described it as “absurd” to suggest that their client was “involved” in crimes facilitated by the messaging platform. An unnamed source familiar with the investigation noted that the ongoing legal proceedings are positively impacting law enforcement in France and beyond, as Telegram has begun to respond more proactively to legal requests.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov commented on Durov's detention in August, questioning the rationale behind holding the entrepreneur responsible for crimes committed through his network. He added that by the same logic, Paris could similarly arrest the CEOs of automobile companies like Renault or Citroën, since their vehicles are also used by terrorists.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
