Telegram CEO Pavel Durov released from custody, pending court appearance

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov was released from French custody, pending an appearance in court on Wednesday.

The Russia-born tech mogul was released after four days of questioning from French authorities, the Associated Press reported . He was detained at Paris-Le Bourget Airport just hours after an arrest warrant was issued and authorities saw he was headed to France from Azerbaijan.

“An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov’s police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment,” a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office said.

Durov is being charged with 12 criminal counts alleging a lack of cooperation in investigations regarding the use of the platform by criminals for illegal activity, such as drug trafficking and child exploitation.

Telegram , an encrypted messaging app, is exceedingly popular worldwide, recently reaching 1 billion downloads. Ukraine and Russia have relied on the platform to disseminate information about the war in Ukraine.

The Russian diplomatic mission told Tass that French authorities have not responded to the Russian Embassy's request for consular access to Durov. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that Durov's arrest showcased France's disregard for international free speech norms.

The arrest of Durov has come under harsh international scrutiny, including from many who allege a violation of free speech. French President Emmanuel Macron recently defended the move as an objective decision as part of a legitimate criminal investigation.

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“The arrest of the Telegram president on French territory took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation,” Macron wrote on X. “This is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to decide.”

French and United Arab Emirati spies hacked Pavel's phone in 2017 as part of an intelligence operation targeting Islamic State recruiters, the Wall Street Journal reported. The following year, he had lunch with Macron, when the president asked him to move Telegram to France.