Detention Order for Pavel Durov Extended in France; Telegram Calls It 'Ridiculous'

French judicial authorities have extended the detention order for Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram; meanwhile, the messaging platform described the allegations against its director as 'ridiculous.' On Sunday evening, September 4, AFP reported, citing a source close to the investigation, that the judicial authority overseeing the case has extended Mr. Durov's detention. According to French law, the maximum detention period for a suspect during the investigation phase is 96 hours, after which the decision on release or continued detention based on the charges falls to the case judge. Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested on Saturday evening at Bourget Airport near Paris. His arrest warrant was issued by the French judicial authority combating violence against children and is related to charges of fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and promoting terrorism. The French judiciary has accused Pavel Durov of failing to act against the criminal use of the messaging platform by some Telegram users. Meanwhile, Telegram issued a statement saying that its director has made 'frequent trips' to Europe because he 'has nothing to hide.' This statement, which is Telegram's first reaction to the arrest of its CEO, emphasized that the Telegram director bears no responsibility for others' misuse of the platform, calling the allegations regarding his responsibility in this matter ridiculous. Telegram also stated that it is awaiting a swift resolution to this issue. Previously, a source close to the case expressed surprise at Pavel Durov's trip to France while knowing that an arrest warrant had been issued for him. One of the investigators in the case also stated, 'Impunity for Telegram is enough.' Meanwhile, the arrest of the Telegram CEO has sparked reactions, with Reuters reporting that several people in Moscow held signs protesting the arrest near the French embassy. Elon Musk, owner of X, also used the hashtag 'Free Pavel' while sharing a video of an interview with Pavel Durov. The Russian embassy in Paris announced that it has not yet received a response from French authorities regarding its request for consular access to Pavel Durov, accusing the French government of 'non-cooperation.' However, according to Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, since Mr. Durov also holds French citizenship, France considers it his primary nationality. Telegram, an encrypted messaging service, was launched in 2013 by Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai, with its headquarters in Dubai. Pavel Durov has been living in Dubai since leaving Russia in 2014. The messaging platform claims it never discloses user information. Telegram, which allows the creation of chat groups with up to 200,000 members, has been accused of spreading misinformation and proliferating hate speech, neo-Nazi content, child abuse, conspiracy theories, or terrorism.