Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Faces Legal Challenge in France

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov is under investigation in France for alleged involvement in running an online platform hosting illicit activities. Arrested at Paris airport, he faces charges including complicity in illegal transactions and money laundering. The case has strained France-Russia relations, sparking debates on tech accountability.

A lawyer for Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, who is at the center of an unprecedented investigation in France, deemed it "absurd" to hold the head of a social network accountable for criminal acts on the platform.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin argued that Durov's detention, which has further strained Paris-Moscow relations, should not turn into "political persecution." A French judge placed Durov under formal investigation, alleging his platform facilitated illegal transactions, child abuse imagery, and drug trafficking, along with money laundering and judicial non-cooperation.

Durov, detained for four days post-arrest at a Paris airport, received bail contingent on a €5 million payment. He can't leave French territory and must report bi-weekly to local police. His arrest reignited debates over the boundaries between free speech and legal compliance, questioning tech companies' responsibility for platform content.

(With inputs from agencies.)