French authorities have now shared the why behind the August 24 arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov, which came in response to a series of charges, including complicity in “distributing, offering or making available pornographic images of minors, in an organized group.” The charges stem from a judicial investigation opened on July 8 against an unnamed individual. The release, penned by Prosecutor of the Republic Laure Beccuau, details 12 charges in total, including money laundering, drug trafficking, fraud, running an online platform that allows illegal transactions, and possessing child pornography. Durov can be held in custody until Wednesday, August 28. The arrest has raised questions about how much leaders are responsible for what happens on their platforms. Telegram shared a post stating the company “abides by EU laws” and “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” There have also been outcries from individuals like Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), who posted “#FreePavel” on X, and Edward Snowden, who called it politically motivated. Telegram is especially popular in Russia and Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron responded on X (formerly Twitter) to “false information” that the arrest was politically motivated, emphasizing France’s commitment to freedom of expression and communication within a legal framework to protect citizens’ rights and freedoms.
