French authorities handed Telegram CEO Pavel Durov preliminary charges Wednesday for allowing alleged criminal activity on his messaging app, and barred him from leaving France pending further investigation.
Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a sweeping judicial inquiry opened last month, and released earlier Wednesday after four days of questioning. Investigative judges filed the preliminary charges Wednsday night and ordered him to pay 5 million euros bail and to report to a police station twice a week.
Allegations against the Russia-born Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.
Durov's arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials calling it politically motivated and proof of the West’s double standard on freedom of speech. The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics because in 2018, Russian authorities themselves tried to block the Telegram app but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020.
These charges have led to Durov being placed under formal investigation by French authorities.
Complicity in Running an Online Platform for Illicit Transactions: Alleged facilitation of criminal activities on Telegram, including illegal transactions.
Allowing the Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material: Accused of enabling the sharing of child sexual exploitation content on the platform.
Drug Trafficking: Allegations that Telegram is being used for the sale and distribution of illegal drugs.
Fraud: Suspected involvement in or facilitation of fraudulent activities through Telegram.
Refusal to Communicate Information to Authorities: Alleged non-compliance with legal requirements to share information with law enforcement.
Money Laundering: Accusations of enabling or facilitating money laundering activities via the platform.
Providing Cryptographic Services to Criminals: Allegations that Telegram’s encryption services are being used by criminals to evade detection.
