Arrest and indictment of Pavel Durov

Common card · No. 321401

On 24 August 2024, Pavel Durov, a co-founder of the Telegram messaging service and the social network VK, was arrested after landing at Le Bourget Airport. The arrest was part of a preliminary investigation by the French National Judicial Police. On 28 August, Durov was indicted on twelve charges, including complicity in the distribution of child exploitation material and drug trafficking, was barred from leaving France, and was placed under judicial supervision. The arrest of a technology platform CEO due to issues with Telegram moderation was described by University of Toronto policy researcher John Scott-Railton as "unprecedented". It prompted protest and outcry from free-speech activists and Telegram channels against the French government. The arrest also led to a deterioration in French–Russian relations. Russian diplomats accused French authorities of refusing to give information on the arrest, proposed measures to return Durov to Russia or the United Arab Emirates, and said that...

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