Gambiaj.com – (PARIS, France) – Pavel Durov, the Franco-Russian billionaire and chief executive of Telegram, has been arrested by French police at Le Bourget airport near Paris. Durov, 39, was detained on Saturday evening after arriving from Baku, Azerbaijan, on a private plane, sources confirmed to AFP.

The arrest follows a warrant issued by France’s OFMIN, an office responsible for preventing violence against minors, as part of a preliminary investigation into a range of alleged offences. These include fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and the promotion of terrorism—all crimes reportedly linked to the use of Telegram, the encrypted messaging platform Durov co-founded.

Durov is accused of failing to implement adequate measures to prevent the criminal use of his platform, which has been criticized for allowing the dissemination of harmful and illegal content. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

“Enough of Telegram’s impunity,” one investigator remarked, expressing surprise that Durov had traveled to Paris despite being aware of the outstanding warrant against him.

The Russian government has quickly reacted to Durov’s detention, demanding access to the billionaire. In a statement reported by Ria Novosti, Russia’s embassy in Paris claimed that French authorities have so far refused to cooperate or provide consular access.

Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, reiterated Moscow’s request for consular access, emphasizing that although Durov also holds French citizenship, Russia considers him primarily Russian. In contrast, Maria Butina, a lawmaker from the ruling United Russia party, condemned Durov’s arrest, calling it part of a broader “witch-hunt” against freedom of speech in Europe.

“Durov is a political prisoner—a victim of a witch-hunt by the West,” Butina stated in an interview with Reuters. She suggested that the arrest might be an attempt by Western governments to gain control over Telegram, a platform with significant influence in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet republics.

Telegram, founded by Durov and his brother following a crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Russia, has positioned itself as a privacy-centric alternative to mainstream platforms like WhatsApp. Based in Dubai, Telegram has avoided Western moderation laws, allowing users to form large groups and share content freely—a feature that has sparked controversy and accusations of enabling the spread of neo-Nazi, terrorist, and other illegal content.

Despite the allegations, Telegram remains a popular choice for its 900 million active users, drawn to the platform’s strong stance on privacy and freedom from governmental interference. Durov’s upcoming court appearance is set to determine the future of both his leadership and the platform that has become a global symbol of encrypted communication.