The founder and CEO of the messaging service Telegram was arrested at a Paris airport over the weekend, according to reports.
French broadcasters LCI and TF1 reported that Pavel Durov was taken into custody Saturday evening at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport, according to The Associated Press. French media reported he was detained on an arrest warrant over allegations his platform has been used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other offenses, according to the AP.
French media said Durov was notified by the National Anti-Fraud Office of the French customs department that he will be placed in police custody, per the AP.
Reuters also reported on Durov’s arrest, citing two French police sources and one Russian source. The news service reported Durov was arrested shortly after arriving on a private jet from Azerbaijan.
Telegram, launched in 2013, was founded by Durov and his brother, Nikolai Durov. It continues to be a popular messaging service, especially regarding the Russia-Ukraine war.
Telegram said in a statement that it adheres to the European Union’s laws, and its moderation is “within industry standards and constantly improving.”
“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” Telegram’s statement said. “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.”
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who owns the social platform X, also weighed on the arrest, writing “FreePavel” in a post on X.
Some have sought to tie the arrest to the issue of freedom of speech. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted on X that “the need to protect free speech has never been more urgent.”
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday addressed Durov’s arrest in a statement posted to X, emphasizing that France is “deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship.” He also wrote that the arrest of Durov was not political.
“It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law,” he said. “The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter.”
The Associated Press contributed.
Updated: 10:58 a.m.