Pavel Durov, the creator of Telegram, has found himself in a precarious situation as his detention in France has been unexpectedly extended.
Late on Saturday, French news channel TF1 INFO broke the news that Durov had been detained at Paris airport shortly after arriving from Azerbaijan on his private jet. The sudden detention shocked many, especially given Durov’s prominence in the tech world.
As of Sunday, the French prosecutor’s office was expected to release an official statement regarding the situation on Monday. However, in a surprising development, a Paris court judge decided to extend Durov’s detention by an additional 48 hours.
This extension means that Durov will now be held for a total of 96 hours, after which the judge will need to determine whether to press charges against him or to release him.
The situation has led to widespread speculation and concern, with few concrete details available. In the midst of this uncertainty, Durov’s team has made their first official statement on the matter. The statement emphasized that Telegram complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act, and that Durov has nothing to hide.
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They also highlighted the absurdity of blaming Telegram or its founder for any misuse of the platform, noting that almost a billion users worldwide rely on Telegram for communication and important information.
As the world watches closely, the coming days are expected to bring more clarity to this unfolding situation. The focus is now on the French authorities to provide answers and resolve the situation swiftly.