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TL;DR
- Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was arrested at Le Bourget Airport in France.
- The arrest was based on a warrant related to offenses involving the Telegram app.
- Russia’s embassy in France is seeking clarification on the arrest.
- Telegram is a major social media platform, especially popular in Russia and former Soviet states.
Pavel Durov, the chief executive of Telegram, was arrested by French authorities at Le Bourget Airport, located north of Paris. The arrest occurred shortly after Durov’s private jet landed, as reported by French media.
The 39-year-old entrepreneur was detained under a warrant related to offenses associated with Telegram, the popular messaging app he founded. The specific nature of the offenses has not been disclosed, but the situation has prompted immediate action from Russia’s diplomatic mission in France. Russia’s TASS state news agency reported that the Russian embassy is actively seeking clarification on the matter.
Durov’s arrest highlights ongoing tensions surrounding Telegram, particularly in Russia and other former Soviet states where the app enjoys significant popularity. Telegram faced a ban in Russia in 2018 due to Durov’s refusal to provide user data to the government. However, this ban was lifted in 2021, allowing the app to continue its operations in the region.
Founded in 2013, Telegram has grown to become one of the leading social media platforms globally, ranking alongside giants like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat. Durov, who left Russia in 2014 after resisting government demands to shut down opposition groups on his previous platform VKontakte, has since been a prominent figure in the tech industry.
The incident at Le Bourget Airport marks a significant development in Durov’s ongoing narrative as a tech entrepreneur often at odds with governmental authorities. As the situation unfolds, further details are anticipated to emerge regarding the reasons behind his arrest and the potential implications for Telegram’s operations.
