A French court judge on Wednesday granted conditional bail to Telegram boss Pavel Durov. As a condition of bail, he has been asked to deposit a bail amount of 50 lakh euros, report to the police twice a week. Along with this, he has also been barred from leaving France. Pavel Durov was detained for formal investigation under organized crime.
Paris prosecutor Laure Becque said in a statement that the judge believed there were sufficient grounds to begin an investigation into all charges against Paul. Paul was arrested four days ago. He has been charged with involvement in running an online platform allowing illegal transactions, child sexual abuse images, drug trafficking, and fraud, refusal to provide information to authorities, money laundering and suspicion of providing cryptographic services to criminals.
Durov’s lawyer did not comment. In France, a formal investigation does not mean that the person is guilty or that the case will necessarily go to court, but it means that judges have found enough evidence to investigate the case further. Investigations into such cases can last several years before being sent to trial or closed.
The decision came after Russian-born Durov was arrested at an airport near Paris on Saturday evening. Durov’s arrest has sparked a debate about the balance between freedom of expression and law enforcement. It also highlights the complex relationship between Telegram, which has nearly 1 billion users, and governments, and serves as a warning to tech giants who do not cooperate with authorities for alleged illegal activities on their platforms.
Russian state news agency RIA published a video on Telegram showing Durov, dressed in black and wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, leaving the prosecutor’s office and entering a waiting vehicle. Reuters could not confirm the authenticity of the images.
Paris prosecutor Laure Becque said Telegram had been used for a number of criminal activities, and when the court asked for information, Telegram did not cooperate at all. Because of this, France’s cyber crime unit launched an investigation against Telegram, in which it is being seen whether Telegram’s managers are responsible for these crimes. This investigation began in February and charges were filed in July.
Telegram has not said much on this issue. In a statement released on Monday, Telegram said that it complies with European laws and its moderation policy is in line with industry standards. He said that Durov has nothing to hide, and he frequently travels to Europe. It is wrong to say that the owner of the platform should be held responsible for its misuse.
Durov holds citizenship of France, Russia and UAE. His arrest has affected relations between France and Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that relations between the two countries have now reached an all-time low. A Kremlin spokesman said that Russia is ready to help Durov, but the situation has become complicated due to his French citizenship.
Telegram is also being used significantly in the Ukraine war, where it is being used by both sides to share news and propaganda material. Telegram presents itself as a safe platform for freedom of speech and expression, but it is also used by some controversial groups. French President Emmanuel Macron said that Durov’s arrest was not a political decision, and that France legally supports freedom of speech and expression. Macron had lunch with Durov in 2018, and in 2021 he was granted French citizenship under a special procedure.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)