Paris prosecutor calls Durov's case a "blueprint"
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau has stated that a probe into Telegram was initiated due to the platform's failure to respond to requests for identifying cybercriminals. Read Full Article at RT.com
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France has initiated an investigation into Telegram due to the platform's failure to respond to requests for identifying cybercriminals, according to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau.
Beccuau described the case against Telegram CEO Pavel Durov as “exemplary” in the context of France’s efforts to combat cybercrime. Durov was arrested upon his arrival in Paris in late August and faces numerous charges, including noncompliance with law enforcement and operating a platform allegedly exploited by organized crime for illicit activities such as trafficking and child sexual abuse. The 39-year-old Russian entrepreneur, who holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, was subsequently released on bail set at €5 million. He is prohibited from leaving France while the investigation proceeds.
In a Wednesday interview with RTL Radio, Beccuau remarked, “this case is exemplary in terms of the actions taken by the cybercrime unit of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office.” She also referred to past issues with the Coco chat website and the Sky ECC encrypted messaging service, both of which were shut down.
“Organized crime is spreading in a world that we consider to be virtual,” she stated.
To address this issue, Beccuau noted that France is revising its legislation by introducing a new criminal offense for managing an online platform that facilitates illegal transactions, one of the accusations against Durov.
Durov's platform has come under scrutiny because the cybercrime unit of the Paris Prosecutor's Office “contacted the platform several times asking it to identify cybercriminals, especially in the area of child pornography. But the platform did not respond to these requests. It did not react,” Beccuau explained.
She confirmed that Durov is adhering to his bail conditions, which require him to report to authorities twice a week.
In response to the situation, Durov released an extensive statement on Telegram, arguing that assertions from certain media outlets suggesting his platform is “some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue.” He further stated that Telegram removes “millions of harmful posts and channels every day” and issues “daily transparency reports” about actions taken against illegal content, such as child abuse and terrorism.
Durov also claimed that he has previously cooperated with French law enforcement and “personally helped them establish a hotline with Telegram to deal with the threat of terrorism in France.” He expressed the platform's willingness to collaborate with state regulators to find “the right balance between privacy and security.”
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
Beccuau described the case against Telegram CEO Pavel Durov as “exemplary” in the context of France’s efforts to combat cybercrime. Durov was arrested upon his arrival in Paris in late August and faces numerous charges, including noncompliance with law enforcement and operating a platform allegedly exploited by organized crime for illicit activities such as trafficking and child sexual abuse. The 39-year-old Russian entrepreneur, who holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, was subsequently released on bail set at €5 million. He is prohibited from leaving France while the investigation proceeds.
In a Wednesday interview with RTL Radio, Beccuau remarked, “this case is exemplary in terms of the actions taken by the cybercrime unit of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office.” She also referred to past issues with the Coco chat website and the Sky ECC encrypted messaging service, both of which were shut down.
“Organized crime is spreading in a world that we consider to be virtual,” she stated.
To address this issue, Beccuau noted that France is revising its legislation by introducing a new criminal offense for managing an online platform that facilitates illegal transactions, one of the accusations against Durov.
Durov's platform has come under scrutiny because the cybercrime unit of the Paris Prosecutor's Office “contacted the platform several times asking it to identify cybercriminals, especially in the area of child pornography. But the platform did not respond to these requests. It did not react,” Beccuau explained.
She confirmed that Durov is adhering to his bail conditions, which require him to report to authorities twice a week.
In response to the situation, Durov released an extensive statement on Telegram, arguing that assertions from certain media outlets suggesting his platform is “some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue.” He further stated that Telegram removes “millions of harmful posts and channels every day” and issues “daily transparency reports” about actions taken against illegal content, such as child abuse and terrorism.
Durov also claimed that he has previously cooperated with French law enforcement and “personally helped them establish a hotline with Telegram to deal with the threat of terrorism in France.” He expressed the platform's willingness to collaborate with state regulators to find “the right balance between privacy and security.”
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
