In the latest crypto news, the man behind the encrypted messaging giant Telegram was arrested in Paris.
Just 12 hours ago, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov found himself in hot water as French authorities detained him in connection with a search warrant investigating alleged violations on the encrypted messaging platform.
The dramatic arrest occurred at Le Bourget airport, north of Paris, where Durov had just touched down in his private jet from Azerbaijan, according to Le Monde and other French media outlets.
Sources close to the case confirmed Durov’s arrest to Le Monde, while a Bloomberg report highlighted that Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova echoed the news in a Telegram post.
Telegram has since released what appears to be its first official statement regarding Durov’s detention. The company, expressing unwavering support for its CEO, urged for a swift resolution to the situation.
“Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving. Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform. Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.”
The situation remains shrouded in uncertainty, as French authorities have reportedly refused to cooperate with the Russian embassy, leaving Durov’s status unclear. As Cointelegraph previously reported, Parisian authorities are expected to issue an official statement on Monday, Aug. 26.
Telegram’s official statement, posted on Aug. 25 at around 12:00 PM PST via the Telegram News channel, strongly backs Durov and calls for a prompt conclusion to the ordeal.
Meanwhile, French authorities are poised to make an official statement on Monday, August 26, as The Washington Post reports.
Durov’s arrest has sent shockwaves through both the tech industry and Telegram’s massive user base. Among those voicing their concern are Tesla founder and X owner Elon Musk, who on August 24 took to his social media platform to share a previous interview between Durov and independent journalist Tucker Carlson, accompanied by the hashtag #FreePavel.
On the other hand, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin also joined the conversation. While Buterin has previously criticized Telegram’s encryption standards, he expressed deep concern over the initial reports related to the charges against the platform, describing them as “very bad and worrying for the future of software and comms freedom in Europe.”
