France has listed the preliminary charges against Telegram and its CEO Pavel Durov. As per the Paris prosecutors, the Russia-board entrepreneur has been accused of allowing alleged criminal activity on the messaging app.
Durov was detained on Saturday at the Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. He was released four days later on Wednesday after multiple rounds of questioning.
With bail set at five million euros, the Telegram CEO has been barred from leaving France until the investigation is completed. Durov has also been ordered to report to a police station twice a week.
What Are The Charges Against Telegram And Durov?
As per a statement from the Paris prosecutor's office, Telegram has been accused of aiding online child sex abuse material and drug trafficking in the European country. The prosecutor also added that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.
As per the prosecutor's office, the first preliminary charge against Durov has been placed for "complicity in managing an online platform to allow illicit transactions by an organised group." As per French and EU laws, this crime can lead upto 10 years in prison and a 500,000 euro fine.
Adding that Durov is the only person implicated in the case at this stage, the prosecutors have added that more investigation is needed.
Lawyers appearing for Durov have called the charges absurd - "it's totally absurd to think that the person in charge of a social network could be implicated in criminal acts that don't concern him, directly or indirectly”.
Durov's arrest has sparked uproar in Russia and UAE, both countries where Durov holds citizenship. Russia has called his arrest a "political one" and has slammed France for the "West's double standards on free speech".
The UAE has stated that it is "closely following the case" and urged Paris to provide the Telegram CEO "with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner”.
