Pavel Durov, Telegram's founder and CEO, is facing multiple criminal charges related to his role at the messaging platform.
Bloomberg reported that after appearing in a French court on August 28, Durov was released but remains under strict judicial supervision. He is prohibited from leaving France and was required to pay a bail of €5 million (over $5.5 million).
Durov was arrested at the Paris-Le Bourget airport on August 24 as part of an investigation involving an unnamed Telegram user accused of refusing to cooperate with the authorities, offering cryptology services without prior declaration, complicity with illegal transactions, and organized fraud, among other criminal activities.
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Prosecutors allege that Durov was involved in helping spread indecent images and enabled other illegal activities on Telegram.
In addition to these charges, Durov is also facing allegations of child abuse in Switzerland brought by his former partner, Irina Bolgar, who claims he physically harmed their youngest son. The claims, supported by message transcripts and a medical report from April 2023, include incidents that allegedly caused a concussion and ongoing sleep disorders for the child.
Supporters of Durov argue that the French authorities' actions are an attack on freedom of expression. They believe that holding Durov responsible for the actions of Telegram users could set a troubling precedent for other tech leaders, like Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk, who could face similar scrutiny for content on their platforms.
The case against Durov raises essential questions about the responsibilities of tech executives in managing the content on their platforms and the extent to which they can be held accountable for illegal user activities.
