Russian-born Telegram founder Durov arrested in France
Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Located on the outskirts of Paris, this is the building where Pavel Durov is being questioned.
00:06The 39-year-old founder of Telegram saw his detention extended late Sunday by the investigating
00:12magistrate in the case.
00:14French media reported the Franco-Russian billionaire was the subject of an arrest warrant issued
00:20by France.
00:21Authorities in Moscow, meanwhile, say they're waiting for more details.
00:26We don't know exactly what Durov is accused of.
00:29We haven't heard any official statements.
00:31Before saying something, we should wait for clarifying the situation for charges against him.
00:37Dubai-based Telegram boasts nearly a billion users, but the messaging app has been criticized
00:43for its failure to moderate extreme content.
00:47While the company says it's got nothing to hide, Russian lawmakers claim Pavel Durov
00:52is being made a pawn.
00:54They have a hostage and they will try to blackmail Russia, they will try to blackmail all the
01:00users of Telegram, that now they're not going to just gain control, but they will probably
01:05try to block the network here in Russia.
01:08Moscow has leapt to Pavel Durov's defense even though he left the country in 2014 after
01:14coming under pressure from local authorities.
01:17While Durov remains a Russian citizen, he acquired French nationality in 2021.
01:23His initial period of questioning can last up to 96 hours, after which Durov can be released
01:29or kept in custody and charged.