Arrest and indictment of Pavel Durov
Pavel Durov at TechCrunch Disrupt Europe, Berlin, 2013 | |
| Date | 24 August 2024 |
|---|---|
| Time | 20:00 (CEST) |
| Location | Paris–Le Bourget Airport |
| Cause | Telegram messenger moderation policy |
| Target | Pavel Durov |
| Participants | Julia Vavilova |
| Outcome | Indicted on 28 August 2024, placed under judicial supervision, banned from leaving France |
| Charges | Twelve charges, including complicity in child sexual exploitation and drug trafficking on Telegram due to insufficient moderation |
On 24 August 2024, Pavel Durov, a co-founder of the Telegram messaging service and the social network VK, was arrested after landing at Le Bourget Airport. The arrest was part of a preliminary investigation by the French National Judicial Police. On 28 August, Durov was indicted on twelve charges, including complicity in the distribution of child exploitation material and drug trafficking, was barred from leaving France, and was placed under judicial supervision.
The arrest of a technology platform CEO due to issues with Telegram moderation was described by University of Toronto policy researcher John Scott-Railton as "unprecedented". It prompted protest and outcry from free-speech activists and Telegram channels against the French government. The arrest also led to a deterioration in French–Russian relations. Russian diplomats accused French authorities of refusing to give information on the arrest, proposed measures to return Durov to Russia or the United Arab Emirates, and said that French–Russian relations had "reached a nadir".
In March 2025, Durov requested to modify conditions of his supervision and an investigating judge allowed Durov to temporarily leave France. Durov left France in the same month.