Kremlin says Telegram founder-CEO Durov ‘miscalculated’ by fleeing Russia

Pavel Durov was arrested on Saturday at Bourget airport in France for alleged offences related to Telegram app and failing to address its criminal use.

Published on: Aug 25, 2024, 15:20:10 IST

By HT News Desk

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Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday said that Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of the Telegram messaging app, arrested in France, “miscalculated” by fleeing Russia. Medvedev, currently the deputy head of Russia's Security Council, was quoted by Reuters as saying that Durov was mistaken in thinking he could avoid cooperating with security services while abroad. Durov was arrested on Saturday at Bourget airport in France for alleged offences related to the app and failing to address its criminal use.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov (Instagram/@durov)

Medvedev recounted a conversation with Durov several years ago, where he warned him that refusing to cooperate with law enforcement would lead to problems in any country.

Medvedev further said that Durov aspired to be a “brilliant 'man of the world' who lives wonderfully without a Motherland.”

"He miscalculated," Medvedev stated. “For all our common enemies now, he is Russian – and therefore unpredictable and dangerous.”

He added, “Durov should finally realise that one cannot choose one's fatherland.”

Pavel Durov was arrested in France

Pavel Durov, who holds Russian and other nationalities, was arrested at Paris Le Bourget airport on Saturday and was set to appear in court on Sunday for offences related to Telegram.

According to Russian state news agency TASS, as quoted by Reuters, the Russian embassy in France has demanded consular access to Russian-born billionaire Pavel Durov and insisted that his rights be protected.

The embassy stated that France has so far “avoided engagement” regarding Durov's situation. Russian diplomats are in contact with Durov's lawyer, the embassy added.

Local media reported that Durov was travelling from Azerbaijan on his private jet when he was arrested.

What are the charges?

News agency AFP reported that France's Ofmin, an agency established to combat violence against minors, issued the arrest warrant for Durov. Ofmin is notably the coordinating agency in a preliminary investigation into alleged offences including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime, and the promotion of terrorism.

Telegram did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, and both the French Interior Ministry and police declined to comment.

Russian-born Pavel Durov co-founded Telegram with his brother in 2013. He left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with government orders to shut down opposition groups on his social media platform, VKontakte, which he later sold.

(With inputs from AFP, Reuters)

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