Telegram CEO Pavel Durov arrested in France

Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested in France on serious charges

Pavel Durov, the Russian-French billionaire founder of Telegram, was arrested in France on Saturday after his private jet landed at Bourget Airport in Paris.

Moreover, French authorities have charged him with multiple offenses, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, and organized crime, as reported by Reuters.

While the French Interior Ministry and police have yet to comment on the arrest, the Russian foreign ministry is seeking clarification and urging Western NGOs to advocate for Durov’s release. French media reports indicate that Durov could face indictment as early as today.

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In addition, the arrest comes amid rising tensions over Telegram’s refusal to censor content on its platform, including sensitive Israeli data published by anti-Israel hackers.

Furthermore, notable figures such as Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk have commented on the arrest, highlighting the growing debate over platform censorship and freedom of expression.