Completely absurd: Telegram CEO's lawyer on allegations of criminal activities

A lawyer for Telegram boss Pavel Durovwho is under investigation in France, said it was “completely absurd” to claim that the boss of a social network was responsible for crimes committed on the platform, French media reported.

A French judge officially opened an investigation against Durov on Wednesday. He is suspected of complicity in operating an online platform that facilitates illegal transactions, images of child sexual abuse and drug trafficking. He is also being investigated for alleged money laundering and refusal to cooperate with the judicial authorities.

Durov, who spent four days in police custody after being arrested at an airport near Paris on Saturday, was released on bail on the condition that he pay five million euros ($5.6 million), report to police twice a week and stay off French territory.

His arrest has fueled a debate about where free speech ends and enforcement of the law begins, and the extent to which technology companies should be held accountable for social media content. Telegram is used by nearly a billion people.

“It is completely absurd to think that the boss of a social network could be involved in criminal acts that do not concern him either directly or indirectly,” lawyer David-Olivier Kaminski, who represents Durov in France, said in comments to reporters that were picked up by several local media outlets.

“Telegram fully complies with European digital regulations,” he was quoted as saying.
In France, the opening of a formal investigation does not automatically mean guilt, nor does it necessarily lead to a trial. However, it does indicate that judges believe there is enough evidence to proceed with the investigation. Investigations can take years before they are brought to court or closed.

Kaminski did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is considered an avid Telegram user, said earlier this week that Durov's arrest was “in no way a political decision” and that the investigation was decided by the judicial authorities, not the government.

A source close to the president said Macron had lunch with Durov in 2018 as part of a series of meetings with technology entrepreneurs. In 2021, Durov was granted French citizenship in a rare process for high-level figures.