Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, broke his silence for the first time after his arrest in France on August 24. Durov faced severe allegations of conspiring to distribute minor abuse material, drug dealing, and refusing to cooperate with law enforcement.Â
Breaking His Silence
On Thursday, Durov expressed his frustration through his channel on the charges imposed on him, calling them ‘misguided’ and fundamentally unjust. He spoke out against the French authorities for holding him personally responsible for the crimes committed by third parties on Telegram, a platform with over 1 billion global users.
Durov emphasized that Telegram actively eliminates illegal content from the platform every day. Durov argued that charging a CEO for any action others perform on the platform sets a dangerous precedent. He also emphasized that Telegram has official representatives in the European Union to handle law enforcement requests, suggesting that the French authorities could have addressed requests through proper channels rather than directly targeting him.
Bail Conditions
Durov’s arrest has caused quite an uproar regarding the duties of technology managers and firms in controlling unlawful conduct on their platforms. He also stated his previous collaboration with French authorities on security matters, including terrorism, but expressed his shock and lack of communication before his arrest. He added that he had been a frequent visitor at the French Consulate in Dubai.
French Gov Sites Hacked Following the Arrest of Telegram CEO
The charges against Durov bring severe consequences for him and for his platform. Although released on bail set at $5.56 million, which is nearly 5 million euros, Durov is conditioned to certain restrictions, including reporting to authorities twice a week and not being allowed to leave France until the case is resolved.
