French Authorities Clarify Pavel Durov’s Detention

Pavel Durov has been detained as part of a large-scale investigation into cybercrimes, including the illegal provision of services and cryptographic tools. This was stated in a statement by the Paris Judicial Tribunal.

“The founder and CEO of the Telegram messenger was arrested on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at 8:00 PM at [the airport] Le Bourget and taken into police custody,” the authority specified.

The measures against the entrepreneur are linked to a judicial investigation initiated on July 8 following a preliminary inquiry by the J3 — JUNALCO department (cybercrime unit) of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office.

According to the press release, the investigation targets an “unnamed individual.”

Among the 12 alleged offenses are the provision of “cryptographic services for confidentiality functions without proper declaration, as well as cryptographic tools not solely intended for message authentication or integrity verification.”

The alleged crimes also include:

• refusal to provide information to competent authorities;
• complicity in storing and distributing pornographic images of minors;
• complicity in the purchase and offering of narcotic substances and other potential charges.

Investigators are questioning Durov as part of procedural actions. His detention could last up to 96 hours, considering the regime applied to the covered offenses related to organized crime.

Reaction from Russian Authorities and Hackers

According to the Russian Embassy in France, following media reports of Durov’s detention, staff immediately requested consular access to ensure his protection.

❗️Comment from the Russian Embassy in France

After media reports of P.V. Durov’s detention, we immediately requested explanations from the French authorities and demanded the protection of his rights and consular access.

As of today… pic.twitter.com/LxmLCn8EoQ

— Russie en France (@AmbRusFrance) August 25, 2024

The French side has so far avoided engaging on this issue, the statement said.

Moscow accused France of “double standards” regarding freedom of speech, reports Euronews. The Kremlin sent a stern warning to the Élysée Palace about the need to ensure Durov’s rights are upheld.

The founder of Telegram is a Russian-born citizen and holds passports from Saint Kitts and Nevis, France, and the UAE.

French President Emmanuel Macron assured that Durov’s arrest was not politically motivated. He reaffirmed the country’s commitment to freedom of speech and emphasized that the outcome of the case would be determined by an independent judiciary.

I have seen false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov.

France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so.

In a state governed by the rule of law,…

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 26, 2024

According to media reports, following Durov’s detention, several French government websites went offline due to DDoS attacks, allegedly carried out by a Russian hacker group.

• Cyberattacks target multiple French websites, linked to pro-Russian hackers following the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France — [EI] pic.twitter.com/OeQ6jhLfT0

— Entropia Intel (@EntropiaIntel) August 26, 2024

The affected agencies included the Administrative and Cassation Courts in Paris, as well as the Department of Health.

On the decentralized prediction platform Polymarket, the odds of Durov being released by the end of August are estimated at 36%. The total volume of bets amounts to $480,875.

The likelihood of the entrepreneur being released before October, according to users, stands at 79%. The volume of this prediction market is $7,446.

The crypto community has rallied in support of Durov following his detention.