Telegram CEO released on €5 million bail, but banned from leaving France
Date: 2024-08-29 Author: Gabriel Deangelo Categories: IN WORLD
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was released on €5 million (about $5.56 million) bail on Wednesday, with a condition of judicial supervision and an obligation to report to police twice a week.
The Russian billionaire and founder of Telegram was arrested at a French airport on Saturday and later charged with 12 counts.
According to Paris prosecutor Laure Becco, “Pavel Durov has been indicted and placed under judicial supervision.” He is also banned from leaving France until further notice.
The indictment includes serious crimes such as complicity in child pornography, human trafficking, money laundering and participation in organized crime. Durov is also charged with ignoring legal requests and failing to register cryptographic services.
"Telegram's near-total disregard for judicial requests has attracted the attention of the JUNALCO cybercrime unit at the Paris prosecutor's office," the statement said.
This has led to an investigation into possible criminal liability of Telegram's leadership.
After his arrest, Durov was held in custody for up to 96 hours, the maximum period of detention under French law.
Telegram CEO's arrest alarms other governments: Paris, Moscow, and Abu Dhabi
Pavel Durov's arrest has caused a public outcry in Paris, Moscow, and Abu Dhabi. For example, despite Durov's distance from Moscow, Telegram has become an important platform for military communications for the Russian army.
In addition, the United Arab Emirates said it had requested consular access to Durov from the French authorities, as he is a UAE citizen.
"The UAE is closely monitoring the case of its citizen Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, who was arrested by the French authorities at Le Bourget airport in Paris. We have requested the French government to provide him with all necessary consular services as a matter of urgency," the Abu Dhabi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Durov's arrest has also sparked a major debate over free speech online and technology regulation.
