Ayobamiji Komolafe 
The founder of social media platform, Telegram, Pavel Durov has been released from police custody in France and transferred to court for questioning.
According to French prosecutors, the development followed his arrest at Paris’s Bourget Airport on Saturday, which sparked international controversy, particularly regarding issues of free speech and digital privacy.
Durov, a Russian-born billionaire, was detained under a warrant related to allegations that Telegram, a popular messaging platform, lacks sufficient content moderation.
French authorities are investigating whether the platform has been complicit in facilitating various crimes, including fraud, drug trafficking, and the distribution of child pornography.
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Additionally, Telegram has faced scrutiny for being used by terrorist groups and far-right extremists, raising concerns about its role in enabling illicit activities.
Following his detention, Durov was held at the anti-fraud office near Paris for up to 96 hours, the maximum period allowed under French law before formal charges must be brought.
On Wednesday afternoon, he was transported from the anti-fraud office to a court in Paris, where he now faces “initial questioning and possible indictment,” according to the Paris prosecutor’s office.
The arrest has stirred significant debate, especially in Russia and Ukraine, where Telegram has become a critical communication tool amid the ongoing conflict.
In Russia, where the app is highly popular, there have been widespread concerns about the implications of Durov’s arrest for the future of the platform.
The Kremlin has attempted to reassure users, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissing fears and urging against the deletion of sensitive messages on the app.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the situation on Monday, asserting that the decision to pursue charges against Durov was “in no way political,” marking a rare presidential intervention in a judicial matter.
Telegram, launched in 2013 by Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai, now boasts over 950 million users worldwide, making it one of the most widely used messaging platforms.
Durov, who has been compared to Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, left Russia in 2014 and currently resides in Dubai, where Telegram has its headquarters.
Despite his success and significant wealth—estimated at $9.15 billion—his app has become a focal point in the global debate over privacy, security, and the regulation of digital platforms.
Durov, however, has consistently defended the platform’s commitment to user privacy, famously stating in a 2016 interview, “You cannot make it safe against criminals and open for governments. It’s either secure or not secure.”
