French police charge Telegram CEO Pavel Durov with facilitating illicit content on the platform

3:45 am (GMT), 29 August 2024 update: Pavel Durov has been released after paying a €5 million bail. Reports further state that Durov is still legally required to report to the authorities twice every week.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been charged with facilitating illegal activities on his platform, including the spread of child sexual abuse material and online hate crimes. Durov was recently arrested after his private jet landed near Paris, leading to a 96-hour detention under French law. Following his release, he has now been prohibited from leaving the country.

Durov’s legal troubles have drawn international attention, with Russia and the UAE—where Durov holds citizenship—requesting consular access. The charges have sparked concerns about the implications for other tech companies, with industry leaders like Andy Yen of Proton voicing his opinion regarding the same. He stated that the charges are 'insane', and "this is economic suicide and is rapidly and permanently changing the perception of founders and investors".

As per France’s President Emmanuel Macron, the detention was purely a legal matter and had zero political motives. Earlier on August 26, Telegram took to X/Twitter to argue that platforms shouldn’t be held responsible for user actions. The company stated that it abides by EU laws, and that these allegations are 'absurd'.

Pavel Durov's first preliminary charge was for "complicity in managing an online platform to allow illicit transactions by an organized group", alongside other charges such as lack of cooperation with French authorities and complicity in drug trafficking activities conducted via Telegram. For the complete list of charges, click here, or check out the tweet below.