Pavel Durov, founder of the messaging app Telegram, currently under investigation in France, criticized French authorities for not addressing their concerns with the company directly and described his arrest as “misguided.”
In his first comments since being detained last month, Durov refuted claims that the app was an “anarchist haven.”
The billionaire, originally from Russia, expressed surprise over the investigation as French authorities had access to a hotline he helped establish and could contact Telegram’s EU representative anytime.
“Countries typically address grievances with internet services by filing a lawsuit against the service directly,” he stated.
“Resorting to outdated laws to prosecute a CEO for actions carried out by third parties on a platform he oversees is an ineffective approach.”
While acknowledging that Telegram is not without flaws, Durov denied any misuse associated with the app.
“Claims that Telegram serves as an anarchist stronghold are baseless,” he noted. “We eliminate numerous harmful posts and channels on a daily basis.”
Durov, now a citizen of France, was detained in the country last month as part of an investigation into criminal charges related to child sexual abuse images, drug trafficking, and fraudulent activities associated with the app.
He was accused by French judicial authorities of facilitating criminal conduct through the messaging app but was released on a €5 million bail under the conditions of reporting to the police twice a week and remaining in France.
The allegations against Durov include collusion in disseminating inappropriate images of children and multiple other offenses on messaging platforms.
His sudden arrest has raised concerns about legal accountability for Telegram, a widely used app with approximately a billion users, and sparked discussions on freedom of speech and governmental restrictions.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Source: www.theguardian.com
