Telegram CEO Arrest: App Denies Charges; Tech CEOs Rally For Pavel Durov's Urgent Release

Days after the detention of Telegram co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov in France, the messaging platform has denied all charges of wrongdoing against him. In a post on X, Telegram App stated that it abides by EU laws and has "nothing to hide."

"Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving. Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe," read the official statement issued by the messaging platform.

The statement further added that the claims made by French authorities are "absurd".

"It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform. Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. "

Pavel Durov was arrested on Saturday at the Bourget airport outside Paris. As per French reports, the Telegram CEO has been accused of allowing violence against minors through the messaging app.

As per AFP, France's Ofmin, an agency established to combat violence against minors, issued the arrest warrant for Durov. The agency plays a coordinating role in a preliminary investigation into alleged offences such as fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime, and the promotion of terrorism.

Tech CEOs, Community Rally For Urgent Release

Shortly after Durov's arrest, Tech CEOs from across the world condemned the detention and called for the urgent release of the Telegram CEO.

Elon Musk slammed the wrongful arrest and further called for Mark Zuckerberg to be arrested instead.

Former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden also took to X to condemn the "shocking arrest".

"The arrest of@Durov is an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. I am surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world,” stated Snowden .

Elon Musk, Snowden, Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski, Craft Ventures' David Sacks , and many more called for the released of Pavel Durov on social media platform.