Telegram Questions Reason Behind CEO Pavel Durov’s Arrest

The crypto community rallies around Pavel Durov as French authorities extend the Telegram founder’s detention period.

Popular messaging app Telegram has questioned the reasons behind the arrest of its CEO and co-founder, Pavel Durov. In a post on its platform and on X (formerly Twitter), Telegram noted that the grounds for the arrest were ridiculous, as the app complied with all European regulatory guidelines, including the Digital Services Act.

Telegram stated that it was ludicrous to arrest Durov over claims that he and his platform were responsible for the messaging app’s abuse. Furthermore, Telegram noted that Durov has been traveling around Europe and has nothing to hide. It then sought an immediate resolution of the issue.

Recall that France’s OFMIN arrested Durov at Le Bourget airport on Saturday. The agency said it was investigating the co-founder over charges bordering on fraud, facilitating terrorism and organized crimes, cyberbullying, and drug trafficking, among others.

Durov’s Detention Extended

According to a Sunday ruling by the French judicial authority, the Telegram founder will spend more time in custody. The court noted that this was to allow the OFMIN to question Durov properly.

Notably, the law permits up to 96 hours of detention. After this period, the agency would either release Durov or press charges against him.

Meanwhile, the Russian embassy has inquired into the Telegram founder’s arrest. The agency is also in contact with Durov’s lawyer and has accused the French authorities of refusing to cooperate.

Durov, 39, was born in Russia. He and his brother Nikolai fled Russia because of their involvement with the social network VKontakte (VK), eventually creating Telegram in 2013.

Toncoin, Crypto Community Reacts

Toncoin, the native token of the Telegram-backed chain The Open Network (TON), dropped over 20% on Saturday following Durov’s arrest. The asset’s market cap shed $2.7 billion, temporarily dropping to 10th in the crypto ranking. At press time, Toncoin was trading at $5.67.

The crypto community has thrown its weight behind Durov, as several projects based on TON changed their profile picture to a dog-themed photo to show solidarity. The hashtags #FREEDUROV and #FreePavel are also trending on X.

Tesla chief and X owner Elon Musk also joined the #FreePavel hashtag, posting a video in which Durov made a statement in support of free speech. The Russian-born CEO was seen saying that he prefers freedom and won’t take orders from anyone.