Pavel Durov, the CEO of popular messaging app Telegram, was arrested by French police on Saturday night at Le Bourget airport, just north of Paris. The 39-year-old French-Russian billionaire, who arrived from Baku, Azerbaijan, is expected to appear in court on Sunday to answer serious charges, sources told AFP.

Why was Pavel Durov arrested?

The arrest is part of a preliminary investigation led by France’s OFMIN (Office for Preventing Violence Against Minors). The office had issued an arrest warrant for Mr Durov, citing allegations including money laundering, drug trafficking and sharing child sexual abuse material on Telegram. The platform’s lack of moderation and its alleged use by criminal groups were at the heart of the investigation.

According to local news channels BFMTV and TF1, the investigation focused on the possible exploitation of Telegram by criminal entities and Mr Durov’s alleged failure to implement effective measures to prevent illegal activity on the platform.

According to American commentator Tucker Carlson, the CEO of Telegram was arrested for refusing to “censor the truth”.

“Pavel Durov is in a French prison tonight, a living warning to every platform owner who refuses to censor the truth at the behest of governments and intelligence agencies,” he wrote on X.

Pavel Durov left Russia when the government tried to control his social media company, Telegram. But in the end, it wasn’t Putin who arrested him for allowing the public to exercise free speech. It was a Western country, an ally of the Biden administration and an enthusiastic NATO member,… https://t.co/F83E9GbNHC

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) August 24, 2024

‘The Russian Mark Zuckerberg’

Pavel Durov, often referred to as “the Russian Mark Zuckerberg,” has a long history of flouting government demands. Before founding Telegram, he created Vkontakte (VK), Russia’s largest social network, but was forced to leave the country in 2014 after refusing to comply with government orders to hand over data on Ukrainian protesters. Since then, Durov has lived in several countries, eventually settling in Dubai, where Telegram is headquartered.

His stance on privacy and refusal to censor content on Telegram have made him a controversial figure. In an interview with Tucker Carlson earlier this year, Mr. Durov stressed his commitment to keeping Telegram “neutral” and free from geopolitical influence.

Ep. 94 Social media app Telegram has over 900 million users worldwide. Founder Pavel Durov sat down with us at his office in Dubai for his first on-camera interview in almost a decade. photo.twitter.com/NEb3KzWOg8

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) April 16, 2024

‘Enough of Telegram’s impunity’

On Saturday, one of the investigators said they were surprised that Durov came to Paris, knowing he was a wanted man. “Enough of Telegram’s impunity,” the investigator declared, according to AFP.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry has announced that it is taking steps to “clarify” the situation, specifically whether the Telegram founder has actually been detained. Pavel Durov, who became a naturalized French citizen in August 2021, also holds citizenship of the United Arab Emirates.

About Telegram

Telegram is known for its end-to-end encryption and dedication to user privacy. It has become one of the most downloaded apps worldwide, with nearly a billion users. Its focus on security has made it a beloved platform for privacy-minded users, but this same feature has also made it attractive to criminal organizations and extremist groups.

In recent years, Telegram has faced criticism for allowing the spread of disinformation, extremist content, and illegal activities, including far-right activism that has incited violence. Despite these controversies, the platform remains popular, particularly in regions such as Russia, Ukraine, and other post-Soviet states, including in conflict zones, where it serves as a vital communications tool.