Islamabad, Aug 26: Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov was arrested by French authorities outside of Paris, prompting the company to assert that he has “nothing to hide.”
Telegram described it as “absurd” in an official statement to hold a platform or its owner responsible for user abuse of the service. Multiple media outlets were informed by French authorities that Durov’s apprehension is a component of an ongoing probe into illicit activity on the social media platform.
Although Telegram doesn’t encrypt communications by default, users looking for a private, censorship-free social networking platform have found success with it thanks to its lenient moderation guidelines. The company’s official statement reads as follows:
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.
Russia is aware that the app has grown to be a crucial source of information during the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The Russian government, which seems to be particularly interested in Pavel Durov, says that he has not been allowed to visit their embassy in Paris by France. Russian-born Durov is a dual citizen of the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is based, and France.
According to Durov’s statement in an April interview with Tucker Carlson, the platform strives for impartiality. He stressed defying demands for moderation from the administration. Durov, who is a citizen of both France and the United Arab Emirates, revealed that he stays away from politically consequential nations where his business garners a lot of attention.
