Telegram Defends CEO Pavel Durov: 'Our CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide' Following Arrest

This is the first public statement from Telegram after Durov's arrest. He had been arrested due to allegations that he was involved in failing to stop criminal activity on the platform. Regarding this case, Telegram has explicitly stated respect toward European Union regulations, including the Digital Services Act.

The encrypted messaging app, Telegram, reacted to the news of the French arrest of its chief executive, Pavel Durov. The company explains that Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris while arriving by his private jet and, of course, has nothing to hide. It went further to slam any assertion that the platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of the service.

This is the first public statement from Telegram after Durov's arrest. He had been arrested due to allegations that he was involved in failing to stop criminal activity on the platform. Regarding this case, Telegram has explicitly stated respect toward European Union regulations, including the Digital Services Act.

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“Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as a means of communication and as a source of vital information. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation,” said the platform which has more than 900 million active users.

It also added that the company is fully compliant with the EU regulations and follows the industry-standard moderation practices which are being continuously improved.

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It turned out to be a great means of information flow during the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. In a rare interview with U.S. commentator Tucker Carlson back in April, Durov touted Telegram's commitment to neutrality and fighting government pressures for moderation.

He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Reports indicated that Durov was charged over his alleged involvement in facilitating crime through the Telegram platform. Billionaire Durov is estimated to have a net worth of $15.5 billion. The owner of Telegram lives in Dubai, where the head office of the company is located, and possesses dual citizenship of France and the United Arab Emirates. He left Russia in 2014 after he refused demands to ban opposition groups on his VKontakte social media platform.

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The Russian embassy in France is trying to clarify the situation. Telegram provides end-to-end encrypted messaging and allows users to create "channels" through which they can quickly broadcast information to their followers.

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